Mogadishu SONNA – The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, carried out a series of airstrikes against ISIS-Somalia on February 1, 2025. The precision strikes targeted senior ISIS-Somalia operatives in cave complexes approximately 50 miles southeast of Bosaso, Puntland.
According to AFRICOM’s assessment, the airstrikes eliminated around 14 ISIS-Somalia Kharijites, including a key figure, Ahmed Maeleninine. Maeleninine was a known recruiter, financier, and external operations leader responsible for deploying foreign fighters into the United States and Europe.
No civilian casualties were reported in the operation, which aimed to disrupt ISIS-Somalia’s operational capacity and prevent the group from orchestrating attacks that threaten Somalia, regional stability, and international security.
The Federal Government of Somalia, in collaboration with its international partners, continues its efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and eliminate threats posed by extremist groups across the country.
