Thursday March 27, 2025
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Mogadishu (HOL) — U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that airstrikes on March 25, 2025, killed several ISIS-Somalia operatives in northern Somalia, near the Golis Mountains. The operation was conducted in coordination with the Somali government. No civilian casualties were reported, according to AFRICOM.
The strike is part of efforts by U.S. and Somali forces to counter the growing threat of ISIS-Somalia, a group that has expanded its presence in the region in recent years. Initially formed by defectors from the al-Qaida-aligned Al-Shabaab, ISIS-Somalia now has an estimated 1,000 members, up from approximately 300 in 2019. The U.S. military has been increasingly focused on the group, highlighting its capability to attack both U.S. and allied forces in Somalia.
"ISIS-Somalia has demonstrated both the will and the ability to conduct operations that threaten U.S. security interests," AFRICOM stated. The group has targeted Somali security forces and foreign nationals in the region, causing significant concern for both local and international stakeholders.
The strike follows a series of airstrikes against ISIS-Somalia in recent months. In February 2025, U.S. forces conducted airstrikes targeting ISIS hideouts in Puntland's Al-Miskaat Mountains, killing several militants. Earlier in February, 16 ISIS fighters were killed in northern Somalia, highlighting the sustained U.S. military commitment to countering the group's activities.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a visit to AFRICOM headquarters in February 2025, discussed the evolving approach to combating ISIS in Somalia. He emphasized that military decisions should be made swiftly, based on the ability to degrade the enemy. "The decisions made in the field should be based on the ability to degrade the enemy swiftly," Hegseth said, noting that such decisions are increasingly being made at the four-star or Secretary of Defense level to expedite operations.