U.S. Airstrike Targets ISIS Militants in Somalia: 16 Killed
Washington — On a serene Sunday night in the rugged terrains of northern Somalia, an operation orchestrated from afar took place. U.S. military airstrikes dealt a blow to Islamic State militants, leaving 16 fighters lifeless in their wake. “How do these airborne specters always seem to find their mark?” some might wonder.
According to Brigadier General Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed in Northeastern State, the operation was meticulously executed. “Our international partners conducted a precise strike. Among the dead were two senior members notorious for their bomb-making prowess,” he divulged to VOA’s Somali Service. Along with lives, a bomb factory crumbled to dust, signaling a halt—however brief—to the machinations of terror.
With the echoes of the explosions fading, details unfolded. Local officials embarked on a painstaking task: identifying the slain bomb-makers. Nationalities and names were like pieces of a puzzle, waiting to be pieced together amid the mountainous silence.
Curiously, the United Arab Emirates was also in the mix, supporting the effort. In Ahmed’s words, “Both the United States and UAE, steadfast allies in our anti-terrorism crusade, were integral to the operations of that fateful Sunday night.”
The strikes homed in on two distinct villages nestled in the rocky expanses of the Cal Miskaad range: Godka Kunle and Xankookin. As the dust settled from the air assault, militants retaliated, launching their own offensive using drones—seven, by Ahmed’s account. Northeastern State’s security forces proved no easy prey, intercepting five. Two, allegedly laden with explosives, reached their grim rendezvous with destiny.
What makes these mountains a sanctuary for insurgents? Is it the isolation, the natural fortresses, or merely the chaos that shrouds these peaks? Within this semi-autonomous region of Northeastern State, both U.S. and Somali forces have intensified efforts to rout ISIS elements burrowed within these lands.
From afar, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) released a concise acknowledgment: an airstrike in Northeast Somalia resulted in two confirmed fatalities. “No civilians harmed,” they noted, an often-repeated assurance that leaves room for skeptics to ponder.
Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s words echoed through the halls of his administration. He praised the strikes, heralding them as “a testament to the indelible bond between the U.S. and Somalia in eradicating terrorism.” Such diplomatic phrases, neat yet packed, convey decades of partnership.
This mission marked the U.S. military’s second venture of the month. Earlier, on February 1st, they targeted ISIS-Somalia leadership ensconced within the labyrinthine cave complexes of Northeastern State’s Golis Mountains. That sortie culminated in the demise of approximately 14 operatives, including Ahmed Maeleninine—a prized catch whose influence stretched beyond continents. His roles as a recruiter and financier for global jihad mark a significant severance for ISIS networks.
Locally, Northeastern State has not rested on international laurels. Months of preparation have unfurled into a decisive military offensive against entrenched extremists. The toll: over 200 Islamic State fighters neutralized, numerous among them foreigners, and several bases reclaimed in this mountainous arena.
