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US ground raid captures Islamic State leader in northern Somalia
The United States launched a rare ground operation in northern Somalia that apprehended Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the finance emir for the Islamic State’s so-called Somali Province. The raid was the first confirmed US ground operation in northern Somalia since January 2023.
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Trump admin ups the tempo of airstrikes against jihadist groups in Somalia
By the end of March 2025, the Trump administration already launched at least 16 air and drone strikes inside Somalia. In comparison, the Biden administration only launched 10 strikes in 2024.
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US, UAE conducting airstrikes in northern Somalia
The United States and the United Arab Emirates are conducting airstrikes in northern Somalia in support of Puntland’s military offensive against the local Islamic State branch. Tracking UAE’s strikes in particular, however, is difficult.
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Islamic State release highlights the foreign-fighter nature of its recent assault in Somalia
The Islamic State released images of 12 men who took part in its recent suicide assault in northern Somalia. All of them were foreign fighters, showing the growing internationalization of this Islamic State wing.
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Analysis: Puntland forces repel Islamic State suicide assault
In a rare assault, the Islamic State Somalia (ISS) tried—and ultimately failed—to oust Puntland Security Forces (PSF) from a PSF base earlier today. Nonetheless, the attack represents how ISS is growing in strength and capacity.
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Islamic State describes intense campaign against Shabaab in northern Somalia
The Islamic State documents at least 36 clashes between its men and Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s East African wing, between March and December 2023.
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U.S. designates Islamic State financier in Somalia
The U.S. government designated Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the financial emir of the Islamic State’s Somali Province. This move, however, has much wider implications than just the Islamic State’s Somali operations.
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Analysis: U.S. Military kills key Islamic State leader in Africa
U.S. Special Operations Forces killed Bilal al-Sudani, a key Islamic State operative responsible for coordinating the group’s finances and activities across central, eastern, and southern Africa (and beyond).
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Analysis: Somaliland’s lingering jihadi threat
Terrorists haven’t launched major attacks in Somaliland in more than a decade. However, this does not mean it doesn’t face any real threats from Shabaab or the Islamic State.
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US launches airstrike on Islamic State in Somalia
Yesterday’s drone strike was the first US airstrike on the Islamic State in Somalia this year.
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Islamic State in Somalia suffers setbacks despite uptick in claimed activity
The month of May saw a relative spike in Islamic State claims inside Somalia compared to earlier months. However, this comes in the backdrop of several Puntland security operations against it.
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AFRICOM hits Shabaab, Islamic State in Somalia
AFRICOM has stepped up its targeting of the Islamic State, and continues to pursue its efforts to “degrade” al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia. Unfortunately, the defeat of the two terror groups is not in the cards.
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US hits Islamic State in Northern Somalia
The US military launched its second strike against the Islamic State’s network in northern Somalia in the past two weeks.
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Islamic State Somalia eulogizes foreign fighters
The video provides the first known instance of a Western foreign fighter within the Islamic State Somalia’s ranks.
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Shabaab kills pro-Islamic State commander
With Shabaab continuing to target ISS members and pro-ISS members within its own ranks, it is unlikely Fiile will be the last commander to be killed by the al Qaeda branch.
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Analysis: Islamic State expanded operations in Somalia in 2018
The Islamic State’s loyalists claimed more operations in Somalia in 2018 than in 2016 and 2017 combined. The group has also expanded its operations to include tactics normally associated with its larger rival, Shabaab.
