In a recent post on social media, former President Donald Trump announced that he had authorized military airstrikes targeting high-ranking members of the Islamic State (IS) group in Somalia.
The strikes reportedly hit locations in the Golis mountains, in northeastern Somalia, where the operatives were said to be hiding in caves.
According to Trump, the mission successfully killed many terrorists without harming any civilians, reinforcing the message that the U.S. would continue to track and eliminate terrorist threats.
Somali officials expressed their gratitude for the U.S. support in combating extremism, particularly highlighting the strong security partnership between the two nations.
The airstrikes were said to have killed several senior IS operatives, though independent confirmation of casualties was not immediately available.
Trump’s statement was also critical of the previous administration, claiming that they had failed to act decisively against these threats, and emphasizing that his approach was more effective.
In contrast, the Biden administration’s military actions in Somalia have continued, including the 2023 operation that killed IS leader Bilal al-Sudani.
The U.S. has been involved in Somalia for many years, primarily focused on countering the al-Shabaab militant group. While Trump initially withdrew troops from the region, Biden reversed that decision, and Trump has continued military operations in his second term. However, the long-term strategy for U.S. involvement in Africa remains uncertain.
