NAIROBI, Kenya
US special operations forces have killed a senior Islamic State group official and 10 other terrorist operatives in remote northern Somalia, senior Biden administration officials announced Thursday.
The operation targeted Bilal
al-Sudani, a key financial facilitator for the global terrorist organization,
in a mountainous cave complex.
President Joe Biden was
briefed last week about the proposed mission, which came together after months
of planning. He gave final approval to carry out the operation this week,
according to two officials who briefed reporters on the operation on the
condition of anonymity.
Sudani, who has been on the
radar for US intelligence officials for years, played a key role in helping to
fund IS operations in Africa as well as the ISIS-K terrorist branch operating
in Afghanistan, the officials said.
He had originally been
designated to the Treasury Department in 2012 for his role with al-Shabab,
another terrorist organization, operating in Somalia.
"Given the remote
location of the operation, the assessment is that no civilians were injured or
killed. Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations
to promote greater security for all Africans," US Africa Command said in a
statement.
One American involved in the
operation was bitten by a military dog, but was not seriously injured,
according to an administration official.
US officials provided scant
details about how the operation was carried out or the circumstances
surrounding al-Sudani's killing. One official said that US forces had intended
to capture al-Sudani but that did not prove to be “feasible” as the operation
was carried out.
The operation comes days after
Africa Command said it had conducted a collective self-defense strike northeast
of Mogadishu, the capital, near Galcad. In that incident, Somalia National Army
forces were engaged in heavy fighting following an extended and intense attack
by more than 100 al-Shabab fighters.
The US estimated approximately
30 al-Shabab fighters were killed in that operation.
The offensive by Somalian
forces against al-Shabab has been described as the most significant in more
than a decade. - AP
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