‘We will kill you’: President Donald Trump says he has ordered air strikes on IS in Somalia

US President Donald Trump says the US military has conducted air strikes against the Islamic State group in Somalia in co-ordination with the country's government.

Staff Writers
Reuters
US air strikes have targeted members of the Islamic State group, officials say.
US air strikes have targeted members of the Islamic State group, officials say. Credit: AAP

US President Donald Trump says he has ordered military air strikes on a senior Islamic State attack planner and others from the organisation in Somalia.

“These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

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“The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians.”

Hegseth said the strikes degrade the ability of IS “to plot and conduct terrorist attacks” threatening the US, its partners and innocent civilians.

“(It) sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump’s leadership,” he said.

The United States has periodically carried out air strikes in Somalia for years, under Republican and Democratic administrations.

A strike, which also targeted IS militants, was carried out by the US in co-ordination with Somalia last year.

It killed three members of the group, the US military said.

with AP.

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