--- title: "US airstrike in Somalia kills three ISIS members" description: "The attack, done on coordination with the Somlia government, targeted a group of ISIS militants operating near Dhaardaar in inland Somalia." date: "2024-06-01" modified: "2024-06-01" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-airstrike-somalia-isis/" categories: - "Africa" - "Around the World" - "News" tags: - "ISIS" --- # US airstrike in Somalia kills three ISIS members ![Somalia]() *FILE: A Somali soldier patrols next to the burnt-out wreckage of a car that was used by suspected al-shabab fighters on April 16, 2017. (Mohamed Adbiwhab/AFP via Getty Images)* The U.S. military’s fight against ISIS continues, even outside of the Middle East. , according to U.S. Africa Command. On Friday, May 31, the American military killed three ISIS members operating in inland [Somalia](). U.S. Africa Command announced the strike on Saturday, June 1. The three militants were killed near the town of Dhaardaar. No civilians were killed or injured in the airstrike, AFRICOM said. No other details into the operation were shared by AFRICOM. It’s unclear if the three killed were the only ones targeted, or if a larger group was involved. Dhaardaar, approximately 81 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Bosaso, is a more remote and desert location in Somalia. [**Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today**]()**. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.** “ISIS has conducted numerous attacks globally, including terrorist attacks in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, all while continuing to plot against U.S. homeland and personnel and interests around the world, as well as regional partners, and others globally,” U.S. Africom said in its statement. “U.S. Africa Command, alongside its partners, continues to take action to prevent this terrorist group from planning and conducting attacks, which disproportionately harms civilians.” Even though ISIS was driven out of its strongholds in Iraq and Syria years ago, it remains active, well outside of the Middle East. The group’s affiliate in Afghanistan has been one of the more prominent branches, carrying out attacks on U.S. forces and Afghans, but ISIS has associates in the African continent. American military operations in Somalia predominantly target al-Shabaab, the militant group loyal to al-Qaeda that once controlled much of the country. However, ISIS has maintained a presence in the country. Last year the U.S. carried out a special operations mission that [killed]() Bilal al-Sudani, one of the terror group’s leaders in the Horn of Africa. ## The latest on Task & Purpose - [**Married Marines**]() **graduate from Parris Island boot camp together** - **USS Carney had ‘**[**seconds**]()**’ to respond to anti-ship ballistic missiles** - **18th Airborne Corps orders soldiers on staff duty to** [**get some sleep**]() - **Bud Anderson, the last World War II ‘**[**triple ace**]()**,’ dies at 102** - **Air Force general will jump from one to three stars to** [**lead air commandos**]() ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()