“Last night, on orders from the president [Joe Biden], the US military conducted an assault operation in northern Somalia that resulted in the death of Bilal al-Sudani, a key operative and facilitator for [Daesh's] global network, as well as a number of other [Daesh] operatives,” the senior administration official said on Thursday.
The operation resulted in neither US nor civilian casualties, the official said. In addition to al-Sudani, the operation killed 10 other Daesh associates.
"Al-Sudani was responsible for fostering the growing presence of [Daesh forces] in Africa and for funding the group's operation worldwide, including in Afghanistan," a statement by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reads.
US forces were prepared to capture al-Sudani as part of the operation, but the assault ultimately resulted in his death, the official added.
Officials have stated that the operation came about after "many months" of planning, noting that the operation reached its "critical stage" last week. Biden's decision to back the operation came shortly after recommendations from Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other states