Top Islamic State leader killed in U.S. raid in Somalia
A risky military ground raid by U.S. special operations forces on a cave complex in northern Somalia night killed Bilal al-Sudani, a top leader and organiser with the Islamic State, U.S. officials said. Al-Sudani was killed in a firefight along with 10 other fighters, according to the officials.
The officials said President Joe Biden had authorised the raid earlier this week after conferring with his national security team.
U.S. forces had prepared for the possibility of capturing al-Sudani, the officials said, “but the hostile forces' response to the operation resulted in his death.” The officials refused to say whether the timing of the operation indicated that there was an imminent attack threat to the U.S.
“On orders from the President, the U.S. military conducted an assault operation in northern Somalia that resulted in the death of a number of ISIS members, including Bilal-al-Sudani, an ISIS leader in Somalia and a key facilitator for ISIS’s global network,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
“Al-Sudani was responsible for fostering the growing presence of ISIS in Africa and for funding the group’s operations worldwide, including in Afghanistan,” Austin continued.
“This action leaves the United States and its partners safer and more secure, and it reflects our steadfast commitment to protecting Americans from the threat of terrorism at home and abroad,” he said praising "our extraordinary service members as well as our intelligence community.
