Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Kyle Milliken was killed in action Thursday supporting the Somalian National Army near Mogadishu, the department of defense announced Saturday.
Milliken is the first U.S. service member to be killed in Somalia since the 1993 Black Hawk Down incident. Two other SEALs were wounded during a raid on al-Qaida radio station near Mogadishu. A Somalian intelligence official told Navy Times at least 6 terrorists were killed during the raid.
The special operators came under fire immediately after the aircraft them along with the Somalian troops into the area, Pentagon Spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters Friday. Davis said the operators were “a distance back” from the area when the casualties occurred.
“Senior Chief Kyle Milliken embodied the warrior spirit and toughness infused in our very best Navy SEALs,” his commander Rear Admiral Timothy Szymanski said in a statement. He continued, “his sacrifice is a stark reminder that Naval Special Operators are forward doing their job, confronting terrorism overseas to prevent evil from reaching our shores.”
Milliken’s death comes after President Donald Trump deployed an additional 40 U.S. service members to Somalia to support anti-terrorism operations. Trump also declared Somalia an “area of active hostilities” which allows the U.S. military to strike terrorists without extensive White House scrutiny.
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