Africom operation kills ISIS militants in latest airstrike in Puntland
The airstrike conducted today by AFRICOM focused on ISIS members and leaders who were congregating in the Southeastern area of Bosasso, Puntland.
The Federal Government of Somalia, in collaboration with the U.S. Africa Command (Africom), successfully executed an airstrike against ISIS terrorists, killing several terrorists in the Puntland state.
A statement that followed the attack said preliminary investigations revealed that there were no civilian casualties reported.
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"The airstrike conducted today by Africom focused on ISIS members and leaders who were congregating in the Southeastern area of Bosasso, Puntland. The operation bolsters the efforts of Puntland Darwish forces to eliminate terrorist groups, particularly ISIS, in the region."
At the same time, Mogadishu reiterated its commitment to combating terrorist organisations such as ISIS and Al-Shabaab, which pose significant threats to both national and global security.
"Despite continued efforts by Member States, sub-Saharan Africa now accounts for nearly 59 per cent of all terrorism-related deaths globally. Now it's time to meet unmet commitments and implement the promises made in the Pact with determined action," UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohamed told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at the beginning of the year.
Amina added that the Sahel is now "ground zero" for one of the most brutal crises in the world, with terrorism-related deaths in the region having soared past 6,000 for three consecutive years, making up more than half of all global fatalities.
"In this surge, Burkina Faso now leads the world in terrorism deaths, with a staggering 68 per cent increase," she said.
She noted that Al-Qaeda and ISIL affiliates have spread to coastal countries in West Africa, with violent attacks soaring by more than 250 per cent in two years and that a new group known as 'Lakurawa' is conducting cross-border attacks in northwest Nigeria, Niger, and Chad.
"There are also growing risks of infiltration and radicalisation along Ghana's northern regions, as well as in Togo, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria," she said adding that the threat persists elsewhere as groups such as Al- Shabaab in Somalia, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama in Mozambique, continue to unleash horrific violence.
These groups, she said, are not only terrorising communities but also committing sexual and gender-based violence, as well as assaulting children and forcibly recruiting them into their ranks.
"Let us make no mistake. At this rate, in West Africa, the future is at stake. The marginalisation of youth, coupled with soaring unemployment, has left an entire generation vulnerable to extremist groups. If we don't act, we risk losing this generation to the horrors of terrorism, their futures stolen before they even have a chance to begin. As terrorism evolves, so must we," she warned.
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