WASHINGTON: US forces carried out air strikes in Somalia on Saturday (Feb 1) concentrating on a senior Islamic State assault planner and different members of the militant group, killing a lot of them, President Donald Trump mentioned.
“These killers, who we discovered hiding in caves, threatened america and our Allies,” Trump mentioned in a submit on Reality Social.
“The strikes destroyed the caves they reside in, and killed many terrorists with out, in any approach, harming civilians.”
Saturday’s strikes had been carried out within the Golis Mountains and an preliminary evaluation indicated many militants had been killed, Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth mentioned. No civilians had been harmed, he mentioned.
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm these particulars.
The Somali president’s workplace mentioned President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was knowledgeable of the air strike, and he wrote on X that he prolonged his deepest gratitude for “the unwavering help of america in our shared battle in opposition to terrorism”.
“Your daring and decisive management, Mr President, in counterterrorism efforts is very valued and welcomed in Somalia.”
The data minister for Puntland state in northern Somalia mentioned the US assault struck within the Cal Miskaad Mountains, a part of the Golis vary, and focused Islamic State bases.
“The variety of casualties continues to be unknown because it was darkish. However our forces on the frontline may hear the sound of explosions,” the minister, Mohamud Aidid Dirir, instructed Reuters.
Hegseth mentioned the strikes degraded Islamic State’s skill to plot and perform assaults that threaten america, its companions and harmless civilians.
“(It) sends a transparent sign that america all the time stands prepared to search out and get rid of terrorists who threaten america and our allies, whilst we conduct sturdy border-protection and lots of different operations underneath President Trump’s management,” he mentioned in a press release.
America has periodically carried out air strikes in Somalia for years, underneath Republican and Democratic administrations.
