WASHINGTON, March 30, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The US military carried out an air strike Saturday against the Islamic State group in the Puntland region of Somalia, killing several IS operatives, Africa Command said.

In a statement, the European-based command said the latest raid was conducted in coordination with the Somali government and hit "multiple ISIS-Somalia targets."

The IS group's Somalia operation is relatively small compared to the Al Qaeda-linked jihadists Al-Shabaab, but it has been gaining strength in semi-autonomous Puntland.

"The airstrike occurred southeast of Bosasso, Puntland, in Northeastern Somalia," the AFRICOM statement said.

"AFRICOM's initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed," it said.

The latest strike follows a similar operation two days earlier that AFRICOM said complemented "a larger counter-terrorism initiative" under way in Somalia.

And it follows US strikes in February, which Puntland authorities said had killed "key figures" in IS, without giving further details.