The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed that US forces carried out an airstrike on September 17, 2026, in Sanaag region in northern Somalia, targeting a warehouse used to store conventional weapons belonging to Al-Shabaab.
According to AFRICOM’s official statement, the strike took place in Sanaag region, approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Boosaaso. The US command said the target was a site where Al-Shabaab stored weapons used for the group’s operations.
AFRICOM said the operation was carried out in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali National Army. The command stated the purpose was to degrade Al-Shabaab’s capability to threaten US forces and US citizens abroad.
AFRICOM did not disclose the type of aircraft or which specific forces took part in the strike. The command said such details would not be released for reasons related to the security of ongoing operations.
Likewise, AFRICOM’s statement did not specify the number of casualties from the strike, nor did it confirm whether any Al-Shabaab members were killed or wounded.
This strike sparked particular controversy after Puntland had earlier spoken about the operation, stating that the strike targeted an Al-Shabaab site containing weapons and ammunition located in the mountainous Golis terrain of Cal-Madow.
Reports based on Puntland’s statement said the administration described the operation as one carried out jointly by Puntland and the United States. Puntland also noted that the Markad area was among the sites targeted.
However, AFRICOM’s statement, issued September 18, explicitly said the US coordinated the operation with the Federal Government of Somalia, without mentioning Puntland in the statement at all.
This created a clear discrepancy between the two statements — though both agree the strike took place in Sanaag region, and that the target was a weapons storage site belonging to Al-Shabaab.
AFRICOM did not directly state that Puntland had no role in the operation, but its official statement named the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali National Army as the parties it worked with.
The discrepancy between the two statements is significant for understanding how the United States engages with Somalia’s various political actors.
Puntland has, in recent times, notably strengthened its security relationship with the United States, particularly in the fight against ISIS and Al-Shabaab in the mountainous regions of northern Somalia.
Separately, when AFRICOM discusses this new strike, it officially credits the Federal Government of Somalia by name.
This comes at a time when the US continues carrying out strikes against Al-Shabaab in various locations across Somalia. AFRICOM has also disclosed other strikes against Al-Shabaab this September, all described as part of the security cooperation between the US and Somalia’s Federal Government.
Even though AFRICOM’s new statement did not mention Puntland, Puntland and the US have had a long-standing security partnership, particularly regarding the fight against armed groups.
Puntland has said US forces support operations against ISIS, with that cooperation particularly tied to the mountainous terrain of Cal-Madow and Calmiskaad.
New reports also indicate that Puntland and US officials have held meetings on expanding security cooperation, operations against armed groups, troop training, and matters related to the US presence in Boosaaso.
AFRICOM did not disclose casualties from the September 17 strike.
Therefore, as of now, there is no official data from AFRICOM confirming the number of Al-Shabaab members killed or wounded in the strike.
Likewise, there is no official AFRICOM statement indicating civilians were affected by the operation.
For this reason, any claims regarding casualty numbers require further confirmation until it comes from AFRICOM, Somalia’s Federal Government, or trustworthy independent sources.
Sanaag region and the nearby al-Madow mountains have, in recent times, become an important area for operations against armed groups.
The reported strike site is approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Boosaaso, indicating the operation took place outside Bosaso city itself.
AFRICOM said the target was an Al-Shabaab weapons warehouse — meaning the strike focused on the group’s infrastructure and weapons capacity, rather than what has sometimes been described as a strike targeting a civilian site.
The central issue arising from the two sides’ statements is over who the US said it worked with on the strike.
Puntland stated it had direct cooperation with the US, while AFRICOM officially named the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali National Army.
This discrepancy comes at a time when Somalia is experiencing political disputes concerning the relationship between the Federal Government and the federal member states, particularly regarding security matters and who bears responsibility for representing the country in international cooperation.
In any case, AFRICOM’s statement alone cannot be used to conclude that the relationship between the US and Puntland has ended or undergone major change. It only clearly confirms that AFRICOM, in describing this strike, said it worked with the Federal Government of Somalia.
The Sanaag strike is part of several operations AFRICOM says it has carried out in Somalia this September.
The US command also reported a strike against Al-Shabaab on September 14, while on September 8 it disclosed another operation against the group.
This shows the US continuing its air support and counter-terrorism efforts in Somalia, with the strikes described as part of efforts to degrade armed groups’ capabilities.
The new Sanaag strike therefore carries two important elements: first, a military operation targeting a weapons cache AFRICOM says belongs to Al-Shabaab; and second, the discrepancy between Puntland’s statement and the official US statement regarding who was coordinated with on the operation.