U.S. Military Operation in Northern Somalia Kills Senior ISIS Leader and 10 Associates

On Wednesday night, a U.S. military operation in northern Somalia killed a senior leader of the Islamic State terrorist group and 10 other ISIS fighters, according to two senior administration officials.

The officials said that the operation, which took months of planning and included rehearsals at sites constructed to resemble the target, killed ISIS operator and facilitator Bilal al-Sudani and 10 of his ISIS associates. Al-Sudani was described as a key operator and facilitator for ISIS’ global network because of his funding to sustain ISIS branches in Africa and around the world, including in Afghanistan.

No civilians were wounded or killed in the operation, according to the officials. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that al-Sudani was “responsible for fostering the growing presence of ISIS in Africa and funding the group’s operations worldwide, including in Afghanistan.”

The operation was part of a larger effort by the U.S. military to target and eliminate ISIS leaders and operatives in the region. The U.S. military has been conducting operations in Somalia since 2017, when President Donald Trump authorized the deployment of U.S. forces to the country to fight the terrorist group.

The U.S. military has continued to target and eliminate ISIS leaders and operatives in the region, and Wednesday’s operation is a significant step in the fight against the terrorist group. The death of al-Sudani and 10 of his associates is a major blow to the group’s operations in the region and around the world.