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| US President Donald Trump | Photo: AFP |
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered an airstrike targeting a senior planner of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Somalia, along with other militants. The strike has already been carried out.
In a social media post, Trump stated, “These killers hide in caves while threatening the United States and our allies.”
“These strikes have destroyed their hiding places and eliminated many terrorists while avoiding civilian casualties,” he added.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify the attack. Trump also did not provide specific details regarding the identities of those targeted in Somalia.
Trump further warned in his post, “To ISIS and others who seek to attack Americans, our message is clear: We will find you and eliminate you.”
In a statement, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said initial reports suggest that several identified militants were killed in the Somalia airstrike, with no civilian casualties reported.
The attacks took place in the Golis Mountains of northern Somalia, Hegseth confirmed.
ISIS gained prominence in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria, over the past decade. However, the banned organization has since expanded into parts of Africa.
ISIS’s Somalia branch was established in 2015 when several militants broke away from al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, the largest jihadist group in Somalia.