US military operation kills Islamic State leader in Somalia

World+Biz

Reuters
27 January, 2023, 12:05 pm
Last modified: 27 January, 2023, 12:05 pm
File photo. Somalia soldiers and policemen look on as Hassan Hanafi, a former media officer for the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, stands tied to a pole before his execution by shooting at close range on a field in General Kahiye Police Academy in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, on April 11, 2016. REUTERS/Ismail Taxta

The US military carried out an operation that killed a senior Islamic State leader in northern Somalia, US officials said on Thursday.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters that Bilal al-Sudani, a US-designated ISIS leader in Somalia, was killed in the operation along with about 10 of his associates.

They added that the operation was approved by President Joe Biden earlier this week and carried out within the past 24 hours. .

The officials declined to discuss basic details of the operation. They declined to articulate any direct threat posed by Sudani to the United States, offer details about whether any intelligence was collected, how the US forces carried out the operation or even how many American troops were involved.

Related Topics

Africa / USA

Somalia / US / Islamic State leader

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