WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. navy has performed airstrikes towards Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the primary assaults within the African nation throughout President Donald Trump’s second time period.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned Saturday that the strikes by U.S. Africa Command had been directed by Trump and coordinated with Somalia’s authorities.
An preliminary evaluation by the Pentagon indicated that “a number of” operatives had been killed. The Pentagon mentioned it assessed that no civilians had been harmed within the strikes.
Trump, in a submit on social media, mentioned a senior IS planner and recruits had been focused within the operation.
“The strikes destroyed the caves they reside in, and killed many terrorists with out, in any method, harming civilians. Our Army has focused this ISIS Assault Planner for years, however Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act shortly sufficient to get the job completed. I did!” Trump mentioned. “The message to ISIS and all others who would assault Individuals is that “WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!”
Trump didn’t determine the IS planner or say whether or not that particular person was killed within the strike. White Home officers didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
The workplace of Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, mentioned the operation “reinforces the robust safety partnership” between the 2 international locations in “combating extremist threats.” In a submit on X, it mentioned Somalia “stays resolute in working with its allies to remove worldwide terrorism and guarantee regional stability.”
The Pentagon’s counterterrorism technique in Africa has been strained as two key companions, Chad and Niger, ousted U.S. forces final yr and took over key bases that the U.S. navy had used to coach and conduct missions towards terrorist teams throughout the Sahel, the huge arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.
U.S. navy officers have warned that IS cells have obtained rising route from the group’s management that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included learn how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, learn how to study higher navy techniques, learn how to disguise from drones and learn how to construct their very own small quadcopters.
The IS affiliate in Somalia emerged in 2015 as a breakaway faction from al-Shabab, al-Qaida’s East African hyperlink, and is most energetic in Puntland, significantly within the Galgala Mountains, the place it has established hideouts and coaching camps and is led by Abdulkadir Mumin.
Whereas its affect is comparatively restricted in comparison with Al-Shabaab, IS in Somalia has been concerned in assaults in southern and central Somalia. The group funds its actions via extortion, smuggling, and illicit taxation, significantly in some coastal areas the place it has tried to manage native companies.
Regardless of going through counterterrorism stress from Somali safety forces, U.S. airstrikes and al-Shabab rivalries, it continues to function in distant and concrete areas, in search of to broaden its affect via recruitment and propaganda.
The variety of IS militants within the nation are estimated to be within the lots of, largely scattered within the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntland’s Bari area, based on the Worldwide Disaster Group.
Saturday’s operation adopted navy airstrikes on Jan. 30 in northwest Syria, killing a senior operative in Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate, U.S. Central Command mentioned.
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Faruk reported from Mogadishu, Somalia.
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