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US special operations forces have killed a senior ISIS operative and 10 other extremist operatives in remote northern Somalia, the Biden administration announced Thursday.
The operation carried out on Wednesday targeted Bilal al-Sudani, the main financial facilitator for ISIS, in a mountain cave complex.
“This action makes the United States and our partners safer and more secure, and it reflects our commitment to protecting America from the threat of terrorism at home and abroad,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
US President Joe Biden was briefed last week on the proposed mission, which comes after months of planning. They gave final approval to carry out the operation this week, according to two officials who spoke to reporters about the operation on condition of anonymity.
Al-Sudani, who has been on the radar of US intelligence officials for years, played a key role in helping finance ISIS operations in Africa as well as the ISIS-K branch operating in Afghanistan, Austin said.
No civilians were injured or killed in the operation, Pentagon officials said. One American who participated in the operation was bitten by a military dog, but was not seriously injured, according to administration officials.
Few details were released
U.S. officials did not provide details on how the operation was conducted or the circumstances surrounding al-Sudani’s killing. One official said US forces had intended to capture al-Sudani, but it was “not feasible” as the operation was ongoing.
The operation came days after Africa Command said it had carried out a collective self-defense attack northeast of Mogadishu, the capital, near Galcad. In the incident, Somali National Army forces engaged in heavy fighting after a long and intense attack by more than 100 al-Shabaab fighters.
The US estimated 30 al-Shabaab fighters were killed in the operation.
The attack by Somali forces against al-Shabaab has been described as the most significant in more than a decade.
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