Bilal al-Sudani was killed along with around ten other terrorists when US special forces raided a cave complex in northern Somalia on Wednesday.
“The action makes the United States and its partners safer and more secure,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
The operation took place after months of planning where the soldiers practiced in similar terrain to the mountain areas in question. President Biden gave the green light earlier this week.
A defense source states that the objective was actually to capture al-Sudani, but that proved impossible when firefights broke out.
No civilians were killed or injured, according to the source. An American soldier, on the other hand, was slightly injured when the person was bitten by a military dog.
US intelligence has had its eye on al-Sudani for years. According to Austin, he has played a key role by financing IS in both Africa and Afghanistan from his hiding place in the mountains.
Already in 2012, he was noted for his association with the terrorists of al-Shabab, who are active in Somalia.