U.S. Airstrike Kills Top IS Group Leader in Northern Somalia

The U.S. military and a Somali official said Monday that a U.S. airstrike killed a senior leader of the Islamic State in Somalia group that has led attacks in northern Somalia.

The U.S. Africa Command said in statement that it carried out an airstrike near Xiriiro, a village in northern Somalia’s semi-independent Puntland state on Sunday, killing Abdulhakim Dhuqub, the deputy leader of the terrorists linked to the Islamic State group.

The U.S. military statement said Dhuqub was responsible for the daily operations of the terrorist group, planning attacks and getting resources.

The U.S. military said the airstrike targeted the vehicle carrying Dhuqub and said no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike.