Islamic State leader Bilal al-Sudani is dead, shot during a U.S. counterterrorism operation. A key terrorist leader was killed in a US military operation in a remote area of northern Somalia on Wednesday night, senior administration officials said in a statement.
President Joe Biden had already announced the operation against Al-Sudani. Accordingly, at the beginning of this week, US forces began operations targeting Al-Sudani. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters on Thursday that he was about to be arrested. The incident killed al-Sudani and 10 of his associates, officials said.
Before he joined ISIS, the US Treasury held al-Qaeda in this role. There, officials said al-Sudani was responsible for assisting foreign fighters in al-Shabaab training camps and raising funds for foreign violent extremists.
Biden spoke on the recommendation of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, along with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other national security aides. He approved the mission on their advice. This plan was in preparation for several months.
There were no US military personnel casualties in this counterterrorism operation, although one service member was attempted to be injured by a K-9. According to officials, no civilians were killed.
The mission follows US military counter-terrorist strikes in Somalia in recent weeks.
An airstrike in Somalia ( Islamic State Leader Bilal Al-Sudani ) by the US military killed dozens of al-Shabaab fighters last week. January 20 US Africa Command said in a January 20 statement.
Other U.S. airstrikes on December 23, December 17 and December 14 were described as “self-defense” and related to al-Shabaab militants, according to a US Africa Command news release.