U.S. Raid Kills Top ISIL Commander In Somalia, Says Minister

A Somali Minister says a U.S. airstrike killed a top Islamic State commander in northeastern Somalia on Monday.

The Minister of Information for the Federal government of Somalia Eng Abdirahman Omar Osman Yarisow said the commander was killed in a U.S. raid in Boholle,70 km east of Bossaso.

He did not disclose the name of the slain ISIL leader, but, added that the government will provide further details on the airstrike.

On Monday, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement the U.S. forces conducted the airstrike in coordination with the Somalia government at about 3 p.m. local time.

The U.S. military vowed to sustain airstrikes by using all authorized and appropriate measures to protect Americans and to disable terrorist threats by partnering with the African Union and Somali security forces.

U.S. forces carried out a series of drone strikes in the past month in Somalia, targeting IS and Al-Shabaab fighters as the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeeping mission prepares to exit the country.

Somali and AMISOM forces have also intensified military operations against the insurgents, flushing them in their Lower and Middle Shabelle region bases amid an expected recall of 1,000 African Union troops by end of December.