In a recent airstrike, the U.S. military targeted the global leader of ISIS in Somalia, Abdulqadir Mumin, but cannot confirm whether he was killed, according to three U.S. officials. The U.S. government had previously identified Mumin as the head of the ISIS affiliate in Somalia, but it was revealed that he quietly rose to become the worldwide leader of the terror group last year, as reported by two U.S. officials.

The airstrike, conducted by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), took place on May 31 in a remote area 81 km southeast of Bosaso, Somalia. AFRICOM stated that three militants were killed in the operation but did not disclose the specific target or confirm Mumin's death. Importantly, no civilian casualties were reported.

While it is still working to verify the outcome, a senior U.S. administration official confirmed that the strike did target a senior ISIS member in Somalia. However, the individual's name was not disclosed. Given the relatively small size of ISIS in Somalia, with an estimated 100 to 200 fighters located in northern Somalia, this targeted operation is significant.

It is worth noting that ISIS has other small groups present in various parts of Africa, including Libya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mozambique. Despite significant losses in Iraq and Syria, where U.S. efforts have decimated their leadership, ISIS sees Africa as an area for investment and expansion due to its permissiveness and operational opportunities, according to a senior defense official.

ISIS militants in Somalia are said to operate more effectively in certain aspects than other terror networks in the region, evading agencies like the FBI and Interpol and sharing tactics, techniques, and procedures with one another, including financing.

Abdulqadir Mumin, whom the U.S. had designated as a specially designated global terrorist in 2016, has been responsible for deadly attacks throughout Somalia over the past decade. These include the 2019 assassination of a judicial official in his home and the 2016 capture and occupation of a city in the Puntland region.

Mumin's ascent as the global leader of ISIS was not widely known, as he took over after the killing of Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi in combat in Syria in late 2022. The previous two global chiefs of ISIS, including the infamous Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had chosen to end their lives rather than be captured during U.S. military raids.

U.S. intelligence agencies estimate that despite ongoing efforts, thousands of ISIS fighters still remain primarily in northern Iraq and northeastern Syria. However, the expansion of ISIS-related cells in Africa is a cause for concern, fueled by strategic guidance from the terror group's leadership.

The U.S. will continue to monitor and investigate the outcome of the airstrike, seeking confirmation of the global leader's death. As the fight against ISIS remains a top priority, security forces will strive to disrupt and dismantle the group's presence wherever it arises, including in Africa.