The government of Somalia’s semiautonomous Puntland region says military strikes by the United States in the Golis Mountains killed “key figures” of the ISIL (ISIS) group.
US President Donald Trump late on Saturday said he ordered “precision military air strikes on a senior ISIL attack planner and other terrorists” in Somalia.
ISIL has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared with al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab, but experts have warned of growing activity.
The strikes were carried out in a northern region of Somalia, where the Puntland Security Forces (PSF) have been carrying out operations against ISIL since December. The armed group is said to have established a presence in the Golis Mountains.
“Recent air strikes have led to the neutralisation of key figures within ISIS, marking a significant advancement as we progress into the second phase of our operation,” the regional government said on Sunday.
Trump posted on the Truth Social platform that the US strikes “destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians”.
“Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did,” Trump posted, attacking his predecessor, Joe Biden.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement the action “further degrades ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilian”.
In a post on X, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed gratitude for “the unwavering support of the United States in our shared fight against terrorism”.
“Your bold and decisive leadership, Mr. President, in counterterrorism efforts is highly valued and welcomed in Somalia,” Mohamud posted.
The information minister for Puntland state in northern Somalia also confirmed the attack, saying it struck ISIL bases in the Cal Miskaad Mountains, part of the Golis range.
“The number of casualties is still unknown as it was dark. But our forces on the frontline could hear the sound of explosions,” Mohamud Aidid Dirir told the Reuters news agency.
While its influence is relatively limited compared with al-Shabab, ISIL has been involved in attacks in southern and central Somalia. The group funds its activities through extortion, smuggling and illicit taxation, particularly in some coastal areas where it has attempted to control local businesses.
Despite facing counterterrorism pressure from Somali security forces, US air raids and al-Shabab rivalries, ISIL in Somalia continues to operate in both remote and urban areas, seeking to expand its influence through recruitment and propaganda.
The number of ISIL fighters in the country is estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaad Mountains, according to the International Crisis Group.