The American army led air strikes against Islamic state agents in Somalia, the first attacks of the African nation during the second term of President Donald Trump.
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the strikes of the American African command had been led by Trump and coordinated with the Somali government.
An initial evaluation of the Pentagon indicated that “several” agents were killed. The Pentagon said he had assessed that no civilian had been injured in the strikes.
Neither the Associated Press nor the Reuters news agency could independently verify these declarations.
Trump, in an article on social networks, said that a senior is a planner and that recruits had been targeted in the operation.
“The strikes destroyed the caves in which they live and have killed many terrorists without, in any way, to harm civilians. Our soldiers targeted this Islamic State attack planner for years, but Biden and his friends would not act quickly enough to do the work. I did it! “Said Trump.” The message to Isis and all the others who attack the Americans is that “we will find you, and we will kill you!”
Trump did not identify the IS planner or said if that person was killed in the strike. Officials of the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Get national news
For news that has an impact on Canada and worldwide, register for the safeguarding of news alerts that are delivered to you directly when they occur.
The strategy to combat Pentagon terrorism in Africa has been tense as two key partners, Chad and Nigerousted American forces last year and took care of the key bases that the American army had used to train and carry out missions against terrorist groups through The SahelThe vast arid expanse south of the Sahara desert.
US military officials have warned that cells have received an increasing management from the group’s management who moved to northern Somalia.
This included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide drones and how to build their own small quadcopters.
The affiliate of IS in Somalia emerged in 2015 as an Al-Shabab escape faction, the African bond in the east of Al-Qaida, and is the most active in Puntland, In particular in the mountains of Galgala, where she established hiding places and training camps and is led by Abdulkadir Mumin.
Although its influence is relatively limited compared to Al-Shabaab, Somalia was involved in attacks in the south and the center of Somalia. The group finances its activities by extortion, smuggling and illegal taxation, in particular in certain coastal areas where it has tried to control local businesses.
Despite the pressure against terrorism of the Somali security forces, American air strikes and Al-Shabab rivalries, it continues to operate in distant and urban areas, seeking to extend its influence by recruitment and propaganda.
The number of EI activists in the country is estimated at hundreds, mainly dispersed in the mountains of Cal Miskaat in the Bari de Puntland region, according to the International Crisis Group.
Saturday’s operation followed military air strikes on January 30 in northwestern Syria, killing a senior agent in Hurras al-Din, a subsidiary of Al-Qaeda, said US central command.
Faruk reported on Mogadishu, Somalia.
This story was published on February 1, 2025.
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press
