WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. subject has conducted coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State operatives successful Somalia, nan first attacks successful nan African federation during President Donald Trump’s 2nd term.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that nan strikes by U.S. Africa Command were directed by Trump and coordinated pinch Somalia’s government.
An first appraisal by nan Pentagon indicated that “multiple” operatives were killed. The Pentagon said it assessed that nary civilians were harmed successful nan strikes.
Trump, successful a station connected societal media, said a elder IS planner and recruits were targeted successful nan operation.
“The strikes destroyed nan caves they unrecorded in, and killed galore terrorists without, successful immoderate way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t enactment quickly capable to get nan occupation done. I did!” Trump said. “The connection to ISIS and each others who would onslaught Americans is that “WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!”
Trump did not place nan IS planner aliases opportunity whether that personification was killed successful nan strike. White House officials did not instantly respond to requests for comment.
This greeting I ordered precision Military aerial strikes connected nan Senior ISIS Attack Planner and different terrorists he recruited and led successful Somalia. These killers, who we recovered hiding successful caves, threatened nan United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed nan caves they unrecorded in,…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2025The Pentagon’s counterterrorism strategy successful Africa has been strained arsenic 2 cardinal partners, Chad and Niger, ousted U.S. forces past twelvemonth and took complete cardinal bases that nan U.S. subject had utilized to train and behaviour missions against violent groups crossed the Sahel, nan immense arid expanse southbound of nan Sahara Desert.
U.S. subject officials person warned that IS cells person received expanding guidance from nan group’s activity that relocated to bluish Somalia. That has included really to kidnap Westerners for ransom, really to study amended subject tactics, really to hide from drones and really to build their ain mini quadcopters.
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A U.S. subject airstrike successful Somalia past May targeted IS militants and killed three, according to U.S. Africa Command.
The number of IS militants successful nan state are estimated to beryllium successful nan hundreds, mostly scattered successful nan Cal Miskaat mountains successful Puntland’s Bari region, according to nan International Crisis Group.
Saturday’s cognition followed subject airstrikes connected Jan. 30 successful northwest Syria, sidesplitting a elder operative successful Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate, U.S. Central Command said.