Donald Trump has mentioned “many” ISIS terrorists have been killed in caves in Somalia by US airstrikes he ordered this morning.
Posting on his social media web site Fact Social, the US president mentioned: “This morning I ordered precision Navy air strikes on the Senior ISIS Assault Planner and different terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia.
“These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies.
“The strikes destroyed the caves they stay in, and killed many terrorists with out, in any method, harming civilians.”
Mr Trump didn’t identify any of the folks focused within the strikes, say whether or not the goal was amongst these killed, or give additional particulars in regards to the location.
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Safety forces patrol after ISIS base in Somalia captured. Pic: Feisal Omar/Reuters
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Safety forces collect after capturing an ISIS base. Pic: Feisal Omar/Reuters
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned the strikes by the US Africa Command have been directed by Mr Trump and coordinated with Somalia’s authorities.
An preliminary Pentagon evaluation indicated “multiple” operatives have been killed and no civilians have been harmed.
Mr Hegseth mentioned the strikes degrade ISIS’s potential “to plot and conduct terrorist attacks” threatening the US, itspartners and harmless civilians.
“(It) sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump’s leadership,” he mentioned in an announcement.
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Donald Trump says ISIS terrorists killed in caves. File pic: AP
The workplace of Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, mentioned the operation “reinforces the strong security partnership” between the 2 international locations in “combating extremist threats.”
In a put up on X, it mentioned Somalia “remains resolute in working with its allies to eliminate international terrorism and ensure regional stability.”
Mr Trump mentioned the US navy had focused the assault planner for years, however former president Joe Biden “and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done”.
“I did! The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'”
However the US has periodically carried out strikes in Somalia for years below each Republican and Democratic administrations, together with Mr Biden’s.
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Trump made the announcement on his social media platform. Pic: Fact Social
A US navy airstrike final Might focused ISIS militants and killed three, in line with the US Africa Command.
US particular forces additionally killed a senior ISIS chief and 10 different militants in a raid on a mountain cave advanced in a distant a part of northern Somalia in 2023, in an operation ordered by Mr Biden.
The most recent operation got here after navy airstrikes on 30 January in northwest Syria, which killed a senior operative in Hurras al Din, an al Qaeda affiliate, US Central Command mentioned.
US navy officers have warned ISIS cells have acquired rising course from the group’s management that relocated to northern Somalia.
That has included find out how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, find out how to be taught higher navy ways, find out how to disguise from drones and find out how to construct their very own small quadcopters.
There are estimated to be tons of of ISIS militants in Somalia, largely scattered within the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntland’s Bari area, in line with the Worldwide Disaster Group.
