The Puntland regional government of Somalia has reported that U.S. military strikes in the Golis Mountains resulted in the deaths of significant members of the ISIL (ISIS) organization.
On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had authorized “precision military air strikes targeting a senior ISIL attack planner and other terrorists” in Somalia.
While ISIL maintains a relatively minor presence in Somalia compared to the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab, experts have raised concerns about an increase in their activities.
The strikes took place in northern Somalia, where the Puntland Security Forces (PSF) have been actively engaged in operations against ISIL since December. The group is believed to have established a foothold in the Golis Mountains.
The regional government stated on Sunday that recent air strikes have successfully neutralized key figures within ISIS, representing a notable progress as they enter the second phase of their operation.
Trump shared on the Truth Social platform that the U.S. strikes “destroyed the caves they inhabit and eliminated many terrorists without harming civilians in any way.”
He criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, stating, “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.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commented that the operation “further degrades ISIS’s capability to plan and execute terrorist attacks that threaten U.S. citizens, our allies, and innocent civilians.”
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed his appreciation on X for “the unwavering support of the United States in our joint fight against terrorism.”
Your strong and decisive leadership in counterterrorism, Mr. President, is greatly appreciated and welcomed in Somalia, Mohamud stated.
The information minister for Puntland state in northern Somalia also verified the attack, noting that it targeted ISIL positions in the Cal Miskaad Mountains, which are part of the Golis range.
Although ISIL’s influence is relatively minor compared to al-Shabab, the group has been responsible for attacks in southern and central Somalia. It finances its operations through extortion, smuggling, and illegal taxation, particularly in coastal regions where it has sought to dominate local businesses.
In spite of the counterterrorism efforts from Somali security forces, US airstrikes, and competition from al-Shabab, ISIL continues to function in both remote and urban settings in Somalia, aiming to broaden its reach through recruitment and propaganda.
The International Crisis Group estimates that the number of ISIL fighters in the country is in the hundreds, primarily dispersed throughout the Cal Miskaad Mountains.
