On February 1, 2025, the United States conducted airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia, specifically in the semi-autonomous Puntland region, targeting the mountainous area of Golis in the north of the country. This operation aimed at eliminating one of the organization’s senior attack planners and other members, as confirmed by the U.S. side. The strike resulted in the deaths of key leaders in the group and approximately 46 militants, including 12 foreign fighters, according to a statement from the Puntland government on February 2.
Although this operation marks the first of its kind during President Trump’s second term, the previous U.S. administration executed a military operation against ISIS in Somalia at the beginning of January 2025, conducting a raid on ISIS gatherings in the Al-Miskad region of the Bari area. These developments reflect several key implications and prominent contexts surrounding the U.S. military operation against ISIS in Puntland, Somalia.
Key Implications
There are several key implications associated with the U.S. military attack against ISIS in Somalia in early February 2025:
Desire of Trump’s Administration to Differentiate from Biden’s Administration: This is supported by the criticism leveled by current President Donald Trump against the previous administration, led by President Joe Biden, in a statement issued on February 1, 2025. Trump pointed out that the U.S. military had targeted ISIS for many years without significant success, accusing Biden of not acting swiftly enough to complete the required mission. Notably, during Trump’s first term, he had launched strikes against ISIS in Somalia, despite pulling U.S. troops from Somalia in 2020, when about 700 soldiers were withdrawn — a decision later reversed by Biden’s administration in 2022 at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, which sought to reposition U.S. forces in East Africa by re-establishing a small, ongoing military presence in Somalia, where fewer than 500 troops were redeployed.
Increased U.S.-Somali Operational Coordination in Counterterrorism: The execution of the airstrike against ISIS in Somalia on February 1, 2025, resulted from joint coordination between the U.S. and Somalia. This was emphasized by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who confirmed that the strikes carried out by U.S. Africa Command were directed by President Trump and coordinated with the Somali government. A statement from the Somali government noted that the military operation against ISIS in the Bari region was jointly coordinated by both governments and specifically targeted the organization’s top leaders in Somalia. The statement described U.S. intervention in the airstrikes against ISIS as “invaluable,” expressing profound gratitude from Somalia to the U.S. President Hassan Sheikh Mahmood also stated that this operation strengthens the robust security partnership between the two nations, expressing deep appreciation for Washington and emphasizing that terrorism will find no refuge in Puntland or Somalia as a whole.
Responding to the Growing Capabilities of ISIS in Somalia: This was reflected in the reported increase in the number of ISIS militants, with some international reports suggesting that the group had more than doubled in size during 2024, with numbers reaching around 1,600 members, bolstered by the influx of fighters from Ethiopia, Morocco, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, and Yemen. Most of the operational strength of ISIS in Somalia is concentrated in Puntland, particularly in Kal Miskad, part of the Golis mountain range in the north of the country. Notably, the group is led by Abdi Qadir Mu’min, who gained international notoriety in the first decade of the 21st century, particularly in Syria and Iraq. The ISIS branch in Somalia was formed in 2015 by a group of defectors from the al-Shabaab group, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda. The group is known for extorting local populations and conducting sporadic attacks, primarily according to the U.S. National Intelligence Director’s office, carrying out terrorist acts in southern and central Somalia, and financing its activities through extortion, smuggling, and illicit taxes, especially in some coastal areas where it attempted to control local businesses.
Assuring U.S. Capability to Target ISIS: This was made evident when President Trump stated on February 1, 2025, that he ordered precise military airstrikes against ISIS and other terrorists that the group had recruited and led in Somalia. He noted that these military strikes had destroyed the caves where ISIS members were hiding in Somalia and killed many terrorists without harming civilians in any way. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed on the same day that the goal of the military operation against ISIS in Somalia was to weaken its capability to plan and execute terrorist attacks threatening American citizens, U.S. partners, and civilians. He reinforced that the U.S. operation conveyed a clear message that “the United States is always ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the U.S. and our allies.”
Sending an Indirect Threat Message to al-Shabaab: The al-Shabaab group poses a significant terrorist challenge to Somalia, having intensified its attacks recently. For instance, on January 30, 2025, the group announced the killing of 26 Somali troops and wounding of 65 others, including an officer, as part of its response to assaults carried out by Somali forces in conjunction with Djiboutian troops in the outskirts of the Beledweyne area in Hiiraan region, central Somalia. The group also reported, on January 29, 2025, the deaths and injuries of 7 special forces from Somalia known as “Danab,” and the destruction of one of their military vehicles following a bombing in the city of Masjway in Galgaduud region, central Somalia. Therefore, Washington’s strike on ISIS may serve as a warning to al-Shabaab regarding the possibility of facing similar attacks.
Influential Contexts
There are several key contexts in which the United States executed the military attack against ISIS in Puntland:
Growing Criticism of the U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy in Africa: This is supported by significant partners of the U.S. in the African Sahel, Niger and Chad, calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from their territories. In Niger, the military council, led by Abdrahmane Tiani, annulled a military cooperation agreement allowing U.S. Department of Defense personnel to work in Niger on March 16, 2024, asserting that the agreement was unilaterally imposed in violation of the constitutional and democratic norms of the state, despite being signed in 2012. This led to discussions in late April 2024 to end American military presence in Niger, primarily at the Agadez Air Base in northern Niger, which cost around $110 million and housed about 1,100 soldiers engaged in special operations against terrorist groups. As a result, U.S. military presence in Niger completely ended in September 2024. In Chad, the U.S. military pulled its forces from a French military base in the Chadian capital N’Djamena after being requested to leave in April 2024, with about 70 U.S. special operation forces relocated to Germany to continue their work. This came after Chadian officials threatened to revoke the agreement defining the rules for U.S. military personnel operating in the country and demanded the departure of all U.S. forces. However, both parties reached an agreement in September 2024 regarding a limited return of U.S. special forces to Chad.
U.S. Refusal to Recognize “Somaliland”: The U.S. airstrike in Somalia occurred in the context of the U.S. announcement in late January 2025, rejecting international recognition of the self-declared “Somaliland.” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the U.S. recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia within its 1960 borders. Notably, this position from the Trump administration came despite rising calls from within the Republican Party for recognition of Somaliland. U.S. Congressman Scott Perry introduced new legislation on December 12, 2024, advocating for recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. The bill emphasizes Somaliland’s decades of stability, its commitment to democracy, and its strategic importance in the Horn of Africa as main reasons for U.S. recognition. It also proposes enhancing U.S. diplomatic presence in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, through the establishment of an embassy or consulate.
Additionally, a document referred to as the “2025 Presidential Transition Project” — which acts as a roadmap for Trump’s second term, drafted by the prominent right-wing Heritage Foundation and over 100 other conservative organizations — indicates that the Trump administration would grant official recognition to the separatist region of Somaliland due to U.S. frustration with Somalia regarding ineffective counterterrorism efforts, the increasing activity of al-Shabaab, and political instability in the country.
Expansion of ISIS Attacks in Puntland: The group has reportedly begun executing qualitative operations against strategic targets recently. For instance, the “Somalia Province” announced targeting a major military base in the Bari region of Puntland at the beginning of January 2025, leading to the death of about 22 security personnel, according to the group. This coincided with warnings from some U.S. military officials that ISIS cells had received increased instructions from the group’s leadership, which had relocated to northern Somalia. This included tactics for kidnapping Westerners for ransom, learning better military tactics, hiding from drone surveillance, and building small quadcopter drones. This escalation from the group came after Puntland security forces increased their operations against ISIS since December 2024.
Security Council Approval for a New AU Mission in Somalia: The African Union has restructured its mission in Somalia by forming a new mission known as the African Union Mission to Support and Stabilize Somalia (AUSSOM), which began operations in January 2025, as per UN Security Council Resolution 2767 of 2024. This resolution was supported by 14 of the 15 voting countries, with the United States abstaining. This resolution was in line with the African Union Peace and Security Council’s recommendations. The mission is initially mandated for one year and includes various tasks such as providing internal security and peace, stabilizing the region, supporting the Somali government in confronting terrorist threats—primarily from al-Shabaab and ISIS—and improving the readiness of the national security and defense sector to take full responsibility for the country’s security.
In conclusion, the airstrike conducted by the United States in Puntland against ISIS on February 1, 2025, reflects the desire of the new U.S. administration under President Trump to pursue influential elements of the organization to curtail its activities in Africa. It underscores the U.S. commitment to enhancing lines of communication built on coordination and cooperation with Somalia regarding counterterrorism. The future outlook suggests further U.S. actions to apply more pressure on the group in Africa generally and Somalia specifically, given the threat it poses to American interests and objectives in the medium and long term.
