Godsent Ogbebor
The United States military carried out air strikes on Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Somalia on Saturday, as announced by President Donald Trump. The strikes were aimed at the senior ISIS attack planner and other operatives in the Golis mountains, located in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the strikes successfully targeted ISIS-Somalia operatives. Initial reports indicate that several operatives were killed, and fortunately, no civilians were harmed in the attack.
Trump emphasized that this action disrupted ISIS’s capacity to plan and execute attacks, signaling that the US is committed to eliminating threats posed by terrorists. He further asserted that the US would continue to target and destroy any terrorist organization that threatens American citizens and its allies.
While ISIS’s presence in Somalia is smaller compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab, experts have warned of its increasing activity in the region.
