JOHANNESBURG: The number of US airstrikes against jihadist terrorists in Somalia has increased more than tenfold this year under the Trump administration, compared to missions carried out in 2024 under President Biden.
In the latest military action Tuesday, AFRICOM personnel were involved in an airstrike and reportedly a firefight lasting up to four hours with ISIS-Somali jihadists in Puntland, in the north of this African country. The operation was carried out, AFRICOM said in a media statement, “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.”
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US troops complete operation against ISIS in Somalia. August 2025. (Jaron Willis/AFRICOM)
Multiple local sources reported that high-value ISIS targets were hit, with reports that a high-level terrorist leader was killed or captured, and up to ten terrorists were killed. There are no reports of American casualties.
This attack is the latest in a series of missions over Somalia against various jihadist groups, mainly ISIS, ISIS-Somalia and the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab.
A file photo shows Al-Shabab terrorists conducting military exercises in the Suqaholaha neighborhood of northern Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sunday, September 5, 2010. (Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP Photo)
Local sources report that in this latest attack, US MQ9 Reaper drones were the first to launch missiles at the terrorists, who were reportedly in and around a large cave. This was reportedly followed by an attack with ten helicopters. Several sources claim that American troops disembarked from helicopters during the battle.
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But U.S. military officials dismissed the fact that U.S. troops entered Somali territory, insisting that no ground operation by U.S. forces took place and twice stating that such reports are inaccurate. In a public statement, AFRICOM said that “specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure the safety of continued operations.”
US troops complete operation against ISIS in Somalia. August 2025. (Hannah Kantner/AFRICOM)
In August, AFRICOM stated that they had conducted multiple airstrikes against ISIS fighters, with AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin Anderson saying, “These deadly strikes demonstrate our resolve and commitment to ensuring that Americans and our partners remain safe from the threat of global terrorism.” The general went on to say that the attacks were “against an organization that wants to export their terror to the US and our allies.”
American aircraft launched from an aircraft carrier were shown in official photos accompanying the media statement on the to attack.
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He continued: “The imbalance, however, has led to growing concerns that the international response may lag behind the pace of Al-Shabab’s resurgence in central and southern Somalia. Al-Shabab has leveraged this shifting international focus to reconsolidate its areas of operations. The group’s progress has taken place against the backdrop of Somalia’s increasingly fragmented domestic political landscape. Ongoing power struggles between the FGS (Federal Government of Somalia) and member states such as Puntland and Somalia. Jubaland has undermined coordination and counter-terrorism efforts.”
In May, then-AFRICOM commander Gen. Michael E. Langley, referring to attacks in Somalia, told Air & Space Forces Magazine, “The U.S. is actively pursuing and eliminating jihadists.”
