President Trump announced successful airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia, coordinated with the Somali government, targeting a senior operative without harming civilians. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported this claim, mentioning multiple casualties among ISIS members. Trump criticized Biden for delayed action against the operative, despite Biden’s prior airstrikes in Somalia.
President Trump confirmed he directed airstrikes against ISIS operatives in Somalia’s Golis Mountains. This operation was carried out in coordination with Somalia’s government. In a post on Truth Social, he praised the “precision” of the strikes aimed at eliminating a “Senior ISIS Attack Planner” and reported that no civilians were harmed.
The White House has not released specific details about the casualties among ISIS operatives. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that initial assessments indicate multiple ISIS operatives were killed without any civilian casualties, affirming the effectiveness of the operation.
Hegseth highlighted that the US-Africa Command executed the strike, emphasizing its importance in mitigating threats posed by ISIS to the US and its allies. He noted that this action degrades ISIS’s capability to organize and execute attacks against the US and innocent civilians.
Trump seized the opportunity to criticize former President Biden for not acting swiftly enough against the targeted ISIS operative, despite acknowledging that Biden’s administration did conduct airstrikes against al-Qaida and ISIS during his presidency. This highlights the ongoing debates regarding counterterrorism strategies under different administrations.
The airstrikes ordered by President Trump against ISIS in Somalia were presented as successful and precise, resulting in the elimination of key operatives without civilian casualties. The Pentagon supports this assessment, signaling robust US engagement in combating terrorism threats. This incident also reflects the political discourse surrounding counterterrorism measures between Trump and Biden’s administrations.
Original Source: www.iowapublicradio.org
