BOSASO (Kaab TV) – Puntland State of Somalia has made an urgent appeal for humanitarian and stabilization assistance for residents affected by ongoing military operations targeting Islamic State (ISIS) militants in the remote mountains of the Bari region.
Thousands of families have been displaced as the military campaign intensifies, forcing locals to flee their homes.
According to government reports, over 19,640 families have been uprooted by the counter-terrorism operation, which was launched in late December under the codename “Operation Hillaac.”
The operation aims to dismantle ISIS strongholds in the Cal Miskaad Mountains, a rugged and remote area in northeastern Somalia.
On Thursday, the Puntland Cabinet convened in the port town of Bosaso, where President Said Abdullahi Deni has been personally overseeing the campaign.
The meeting resulted in an urgent appeal to humanitarian aid groups and international partners involved in stabilization efforts.
Interior Minister Abdi Farah Said called on United Nations agencies and other international partners to provide immediate assistance to displaced families and communities affected by the conflict.
“We are particularly appealing to UN agencies to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the ongoing operation. Additionally, we urge agencies involved in stabilization projects, such as USAID, to assist communities in the liberated areas,” said Minister Abdi Farah.
The minister emphasized the need for essential services in the areas cleared of militants, including education, healthcare, water, and roads.
“These services will enable displaced locals to resume their livelihoods and allow the government to ensure their safety once they return,” he added.
So far, 19,640 families have fled their homes
His appeal was echoed by Ubah Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi, Puntland’s Minister of Humanitarian Management, who confirmed the staggering displacement numbers.
“So far, 19,640 families have fled their homes and are in desperate need of emergency support. Poor rainfall last year compounded the difficulties these families were already facing, and now this displacement has worsened their situation,” she said.
The Minister of Information, Mohamud Aideed Dirir, praised the progress made by Puntland Security Forces (PSF), despite limited resources.
“The counter-ISIS operation, which we initially projected to take months, has achieved remarkable success in just a few weeks. ISIS fighters are on the run, abandoning their positions, and Puntland forces are pursuing them in the remote mountains,” he stated.
Dirir commended local communities for their role in providing intelligence that has been instrumental in tracking the militants.
On Thursday, Puntland forces reportedly seized key ISIS bases, including training camps and storage facilities for food and fuel.
Among the captured items were documents belonging to a Saudi national suspected to be a financier of the group, who fled the area before the forces arrived.
The conflict escalated on December 31, when ISIS carried out a car bomb attack on a Puntland army base in Dharjaalle.
The explosion killed 12 foreign militants, including individuals from Tanzania, Tunisia, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Comoros, alongside Somali fighters.
Though smaller in scale compared to al-Shabaab, ISIS-Somalia remains a significant threat in the region.
The group, which has been active in Puntland since 2015, is led by Abdulqadir Mumin, a former al-Shabaab commander who pledged allegiance to ISIS.
Operating primarily in the Golis Mountains, ISIS-Somalia has conducted assassinations and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks.
Puntland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden and near the Red Sea makes it a critical hub for international maritime trade, but it also attracts militant groups exploiting the area for smuggling and other illicit activities.