A U.S. airstrike in northern Somalia has killed 16 Islamic State militants, including two senior bomb-makers, Somali officials confirmed on Monday.
Brigadier General Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed, a security spokesperson for Puntland, revealed that the strike, conducted in partnership with international allies, targeted a bomb-making facility in the Cal Miskaad mountain range.
“The operation eliminated at least 16 militants and destroyed a key bomb factory,” Ahmed told newsmen. “Among those killed were two senior operatives responsible for making explosives.”
He also confirmed that the United Arab Emirates played a role in the strike alongside the United States.
The attack focused on the villages of Godka Kunle and Xankookin in Puntland’s Bari region. In retaliation, militants launched drone strikes against Puntland security forces, deploying seven drones. According to Ahmed, five were shot down, while two exploded.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the strike, stating that an initial assessment indicated two ISIS-Somalia members were killed and no civilians were harmed. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud praised the U.S. operation, highlighting the strong counterterrorism collaboration between the two nations.
This marks the second U.S. airstrike in Somalia this month. A similar operation on February 1 targeted ISIS leadership in Puntland’s Golis Mountains, killing 14 militants, including a key recruiter and financier.
Puntland authorities have intensified military offensives against extremist groups in the region, reporting the deaths of over 200 Islamic State fighters in recent months.
