The leader of the Islamic State group, identified as Bilal al-Sudani, and “about ten people” linked to the terrorist organization were killed in a US raid in Somalia on Wednesday, the US government announced on Thursday, according to AFP.

“Al-Sudani was responsible for increasing the presence of the Islamic State group in Africa and funding its operations around the world, including in Afghanistan,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

The operation, which was “several months” in the making, resulted in no civilian or US military casualties, a senior White House official told the media.

The senior official, who did not want to be identified, said the raid was preceded by “intense rehearsals” by US forces in locations “specially constructed” to mimic the site where it took place, a cave in the mountains of northern Somalia.

“We were ready to capture al-Sudani,” she said.

“Joe Biden has made it very clear that we are committed to finding and eliminating all terrorist threats against the United States and the American people, wherever they are, even in the most remote places,” another White House official said.

Last August, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed on his balcony in Afghanistan in a US drone strike.