Sun Feb 02 09:16:06 UTC 2025: ## US Airstrikes Kill Key ISIS Figures in Somalia, Puntland Claims

**MOGADISHU, SOMALIA** – The United States conducted precision airstrikes in the Golis Mountains of northern Somalia, killing several key figures within the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), according to the Puntland regional government. The strikes, which took place late Saturday, targeted ISIL operatives in areas where Puntland Security Forces (PSF) have been engaged in operations since December.

Former President Donald Trump took credit for authorizing the strikes, claiming they eliminated an ISIL attack planner and numerous terrorists while causing no civilian casualties. He criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not acting sooner. Current US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the action weakens ISIL’s capacity for future attacks.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed gratitude for the US support in the ongoing counterterrorism efforts. Puntland’s information minister, Mohamud Aidid Dirir, confirmed the attacks, reporting explosions heard near ISIL bases in the Cal Miskaad Mountains, though the exact casualty count remains unknown due to the darkness at the time of the strikes.

While ISIL’s presence in Somalia is smaller than that of al-Shabab, the group has been increasingly active, funding itself through illicit activities and seeking to expand its influence. Experts estimate ISIL has a few hundred fighters primarily based in the Cal Miskaad Mountains. The airstrikes are seen as a significant development in the ongoing fight against the group in the region.

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