US targets Islamic State in northeastern Somalia

US forces launched an airstrike against the Islamic State in Somalia earlier today, killing one fighter.

AFRICOM did not provide a more detailed location than “northeastern Somalia,” in its press release, which likely refers to Puntland, a semi-autonomous region which borders the strategically-significant Gulf of Aden. The Islamic State is known to have operated a training camp there.

The United States began targeting the Islamic State in Somalia in early Nov. Thus far, all strikes have occurred in Puntland. The Islamic State briefly controlled Qandala, a Puntland port, late last year. The group is currently estimated to have about 70 fighters in the area, down from more than 200 a year ago.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Alexandra Gutowski is a military affairs analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

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3 Comments

  • Laurent Le Bloa says:

    Drone struck at 03:00 pm in Darhsan located in Kandala district Bari Region

  • laurent le bloa says:

    US Command said High Ranking ISIS leader had been killed, It could be Sudanese Abu Naser, Strike Happened in the vicinity of Kandala on hilled place named Dahrsan or Dassan, At the moment due to fights in Central Somalia Al Shabaab fighters are said to flee to Kenya and Galgala Mountains in Puntland, Yesterday US drone crashed in Galgala Mountains. In 2010 when Islamic Court collapseD some Al Shabaab fled to Galgala in view to form a new haven in kind of view like Tora Bora

  • laurent le bloa says:

    Accordint to governmental sources target was Abdulaziz Gure, a Logistical commander

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