{"id":66509,"date":"2017-11-03T19:22:02","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T19:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:11:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:11:18","slug":"us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/","title":{"rendered":"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a>U.S. forces conducted two separate airstrikes against an ISIS target in northeastern Somalia on Friday killing several terrorists, according to officials at U.S. Africa Command.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe first strike occurred at approximately midnight local Somalia time with the second separate strike occurring at approximately 11 a.m. local Somalia time,\u201d a statement from AFRICOM reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a U.S. defense official, the strike was conducted by an unmanned aircraft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strike is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. airstrikes in Somalia have generally been targeted at al-Shabab militants. U.S. efforts to target al-Shabab militants have recently ramped up. There were three strikes alone in September that killed at least 10 al-Shabab militants Sept. 6-13, according to press releases from U.S. Africa Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/09\/13\/us-ops-against-al-shabab-in-somalia-heat-up\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/gettyimages-669062342.jpg_09d125.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US ops against al-Shabab in Somalia heat up<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">U.S. forces in Somalia conducted three precision airstrikes against al-Shabab on Wednesday, killing six terrorists.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Friday\u2019s strike marks the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Army Sgt. Major John Wayne Troxell, the senior enlisted adviser to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, told reporters on Monday that he expected ISIS would try to rebuild itself in east and west Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But ISIS is known to have a base of operations in the Golis Mountains in Puntland, Somalia, Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of FDD\u2019s Long War Journal, told Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/09\/29\/us-strikes-isis-in-libya-for-the-second-time-in-a-week\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635644284267512535-1332757jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US strikes ISIS in Libya for the second time in a week<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">It is the second series of strikes carried out by U.S. forces in less than a week.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Islamic State\u2019s branch in Somalia is led by Abdulqadir Mumin. He and an estimated 20 fighters defected from Shabab in 2015 and swore allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,\u201d Roggio said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMumin has operated a makeshift training facility, known as the \u2018Commander Sheikh Abu Numan Training Camp\u2019\u201d in Puntland, he said. He is listed by the U.S. as a \u201cSpecially Designated Global Terrorist,\u201d Roggio explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But \u201cthe reported U.S. airstrikes occurred near a port town, Qandala, that the group [ISIS] had seized for just over a month in October 2016,\u201d said Maher Farrukh, an al-Qaida analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn 2017, ISIS\u2019 attacks have primarily been in the same region as Qandala, the most recent being an improvised explosive device (IED) attack targeting a police station in Basaso,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ISIS has also claimed some low-level attacks in Mogadishu, according to Farrukh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As ISIS\u2019 self-proclaimed caliphate has crumbled in Iraq and Syria with the liberation of Mosul and ISIS\u2019 capital of Raqqa, U.S. warplanes have had a spate of strikes against ISIS fighters in Libya and Yemen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"tableauPlaceholder\" id=\"viz1509730288410\" style=\"position: relative\"><noscript>&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&#8217;https:&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;www.longwarjournal.org&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;us-airstrikes-in-the-long-war&#8217;&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;img alt=&#8217;Dashboard 1 &#8216; src=&#8217;https:&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;public.tableau.com&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;static&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;images&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;US&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;USStrikesAgainstShabaabinSomalia&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;Dashboard1&amp;amp;amp;amp;#47;1_rss.png&#8217; style=&#8217;border: none&#8217; \/&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;<\/noscript><object class=\"tableauViz\" style=\"display:none;\"><param name=\"host_url\" value=\"https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.tableau.com%2F\"> <param name=\"embed_code_version\" value=\"3\"> <param name=\"site_root\" value=\"\"><param name=\"name\" value=\"USStrikesAgainstShabaabinSomalia\/Dashboard1\"><param name=\"tabs\" value=\"no\"><param name=\"toolbar\" value=\"no\"><param name=\"static_image\" value=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/static\/images\/US\/USStrikesAgainstShabaabinSomalia\/Dashboard1\/1.png\"> <param name=\"animate_transition\" value=\"yes\"><param name=\"display_static_image\" value=\"yes\"><param name=\"display_spinner\" value=\"yes\"><param name=\"display_overlay\" value=\"yes\"><param name=\"display_count\" value=\"yes\"><param name=\"filter\" value=\"publish=yes\"><\/object><\/div>                <script type=\"text\/javascript\">                    var divElement = document.getElementById('viz1509730288410');                    var vizElement = divElement.getElementsByTagName('object')[0];                    vizElement.style.width='100%';vizElement.style.height=(divElement.offsetWidth*0.75)+'px';                    var scriptElement = document.createElement('script');                    scriptElement.src = 'https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/javascripts\/api\/viz_v1.js';                    vizElement.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, vizElement);                <\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was a series of eight airstrikes launched against ISIS fighters camped outside the city of Sirte in the Libyan desert at the end of September. Those were the first series of strikes since a U.S. B-2 bomber hit a large ISIS camp in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in mid-October, U.S. strikes over a 10-day period killed 60 ISIS fighters in Yemen and destroyed an ISIS training facility. Those strikes were also the first against ISIS in the region. U.S. air strikes in Yemen have generally targeted al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/10\/26\/us-strikes-isis-in-yemen-again-killing-60-terrorist-targets\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/m6201310303080316arjpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US strikes ISIS in Yemen again, killing 60 terrorist targets in total<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">In the past ten days, U.S. forces have targeted and killed approximately 60 ISIS terrorists in Yemen.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. officials also believe the Islamic State was behind the ambush in Niger on Oct. 4 that killed four U.S. soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. military is keeping the pressure on ISIS outside of Iraq and Syria as its territorial holdings in the region collapse. Iraqi forces are currently engaged in an operation to liberate al-Qaim and Rawa, the last territory in ISIS\u2019 hands in Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But \u201ccompared to al-Shabab, ISIS\u2019 presence in Somalia is not very significant,\u201d Farrukh said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":65947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3472,3465],"class_list":["post-66509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flashpoints"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"FA6DY2DEY5DKBOO75PXOHIVZJA","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time - Military Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Military Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-11-03T19:22:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T03:11:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shawn Snow, Tara Copp, AP\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Shawn Snow, Tara Copp, AP\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2017-11-03T19:22:02+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T03:11:18+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 712,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Flashpoints\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time - Military Times\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2017-11-03T19:22:02+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T03:11:18+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/flashpoints\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/03\\\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Early Bird Brief\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/ebb\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"ebb\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Military Times\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Independent News About Your Military | Military Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Military Times\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/military-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/military-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Military Times\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/militarytimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time - Military Times","description":"This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time","og_description":"This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/","og_site_name":"Military Times","article_published_time":"2017-11-03T19:22:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T03:11:18+00:00","author":"Shawn Snow, Tara Copp, AP","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Shawn Snow, Tara Copp, AP","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time","datePublished":"2017-11-03T19:22:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T03:11:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/"},"wordCount":712,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Flashpoints"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/","name":"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time - Military Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2017-11-03T19:22:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T03:11:18+00:00","description":"This is the first time U.S. forces have targeted ISIS in the region and may be an indicator the terror group is trying to reconstitute itself in the Horn of Africa after suffering massive territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/03\/us-airstrike-targets-isis-in-somalia-for-the-first-time\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Early Bird Brief","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/ebb\/","ad_zone":"ebb"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"US airstrike targets ISIS in Somalia for the first time"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/","name":"Military Times","description":"Independent News About Your Military | Military Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#organization","name":"Military Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/military-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/military-logo-white.png","caption":"Military Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Military Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635972819857284459-137784jpg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66509"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66511,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66509\/revisions\/66511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66509"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=66509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}