The suspect, identified as Hassan Atar, was arrested on Sunday, June 15, while fetching water alone from a well.

He was armed with an AK-47 rifle but unaccompanied, according to Brigadier General Ahmed Abdullahi Sheikh, one of the senior officers leading the counter-terror campaign.

“This represents a substantial achievement by Puntland’s counter-terror operations,” said Brig. Gen. Sheikh. “These exceptional tactical gains will significantly contribute to intelligence gathering, improving threat assessments, and deepening our understanding of this global terror network.”

The arrest was carried out by the 3rd Battalion of the Puntland Defense Forces. Atar is currently being held at an undisclosed interrogation facility.

This follows a similar incident in which Puntland forces previously captured a Moroccan national linked to ISIS.

Sweeping military campaign targeting ISIS

Since December 2024, Puntland has launched a sweeping military campaign targeting ISIS bases entrenched in the Cal Miskaad mountains.

The offensive, supported by U.S. forces, the UAE, and Ethiopia, has led to the recapture of key militant positions.

In a related development earlier this year, Puntland security forces recovered the passport of Mohamed Ahmed Al Hawshani, a Saudi ISIS operative, which revealed he had entered Somalia via Egypt, providing critical insight into the movement of foreign militants.

Meanwhile, following a deadly car bombing, Puntland authorities neutralized 12 ISIS militants near Dharjaalle, a remote mountain area in Bari.

According to Puntland intelligence sources, foreign fighters have been identified from countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.

While ISIS-Somalia remains smaller in scale compared to the al-Shabaab insurgency, its continued foothold in Puntland underscores the region’s ongoing security challenges.

ISIS-Somalia was established in 2015 when Abdulqadir Mumin, a former al-Shabaab cleric, pledged allegiance to ISIS.

Operating primarily in the Golis Mountains, the group has been responsible for a string of assassinations and IED attacks targeting security forces and local officials.

Puntland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden and its proximity to the Red Sea make it a key corridor for international maritime trade.

However, the same geography also renders it vulnerable to smuggling networks and transnational criminal activity, which extremist groups exploit for funding.

The region’s complex security environment is further complicated by the involvement of international actors and the broader geopolitical dynamics of the Horn of Africa.

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The strike reportedly occurred near Moqokori, about 230 kilometers north of Mogadishu.

According to Abdi Hassan, a commander with the Hiiraan-based Ma’awisley militia, the strike hit a group of their fighters who were aligned with government forces in the fight against al-Shabaab.

“Twelve of our men were killed when the airstrike—likely carried out by a drone—hit our position,” he said.

The area has seen a surge in fighting between clan militias and al-Shabaab militants in recent weeks.

However, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) issued a statement on Wednesday (21 May) confirming an airstrike in the region but said it targeted al-Shabaab militants, not allied local forces.

The strike was carried out on May 17 near Mabaax, roughly 200 kilometers north of Mogadishu.

“Al-Shabaab has proven its intent and capability to attack U.S. forces,” AFRICOM stated. “AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to plan and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad.”

AFRICOM did not disclose details about casualties or the type of drone used, citing operational security.

Somali federal officials have not issued any statement regarding the reported deaths of the 12 militia members or the conflicting accounts surrounding the strike.

READ MORE: Rape and militia attack unleash fear and anger in Somalia’s Hiiraan province

The post Somalia Clan Militia Claims 12 Fighters Killed in Airstrike; AFRICOM Says Target Was al-Shabaab appeared first on Kaab TV.

This operation is part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the activities of the terrorist organization in the region.

The airstrike occurred approximately 70 kilometers southeast of Bosaso, the capital of the Bari region in the Puntland State of Somalia.

The operation is ongoing, and assessments are being conducted to determine the extent of the impact, including casualties among government-aligned forces and the achievement of operational objectives.

The primary goal of the strike is to support Puntland security forces in their campaign to eliminate Daesh fighters from areas under their jurisdiction.

The Federal Government of Somalia has reaffirmed its strong collaboration with international partners—particularly the United States—in combating terrorism and working toward lasting peace and stability in Somalia and the broader Horn of Africa.

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