GAROWE (Kaab TV) – Puntland Police Force officers in the Ufeyn district of Bari region on Tuesday arrested a Yemeni national suspected of being a member of the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group operating in the Calmiskaad mountains.

The suspect, identified as Mukhtaar Ali Nasir, was captured in the Afcad area of Ufeyn district, according to officials. Authorities said he had been traveling with two other men who managed to escape before the arrest.

General Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed Faadhigo, spokesperson for the Calmiskaad military operation, said the suspects had been searching for donkeys and had spent three days traveling from the Shakaala area, which officials describe as one of the remaining ISIS strongholds in the mountainous region.

Puntland authorities have intensified military operations against ISIS militants in the Calmiskaad mountains since earlier this year, targeting hideouts and supply routes used by the group in northeastern Somalia.

Earlier this year, the Puntland Government publicly displayed dozens of foreign ISIS suspects captured during operations in the Calmiskaad campaign, many of whom have not yet appeared before court.

According to Puntland officials, around 50 foreign fighters were detained during the operations. Nearly half were reportedly from neighboring Ethiopia, while others came from Morocco, Yemen, Tanzania, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Puntland security forces say operations in the Calmiskaad mountains are continuing as authorities attempt to dismantle ISIS networks and eliminate remaining militant cells in the region.

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According to Puntland military officials, the ongoing operations are focused on remote mountainous areas and valleys where scattered ISIS fighters are believed to be hiding after being cut off from supply routes and escape corridors by Puntland forces operating on both land and along the coastline.

Security officials said the clearance operations involve coordinated ground assaults, intelligence-gathering missions, and aerial surveillance supported by international allies, including the United States and the United Arab Emirates, which have reportedly carried out airstrikes targeting suspected militant hideouts and movement routes.

A Puntland military officer stationed in the Cal Miskaad area said security forces are maintaining pressure on the remaining ISIS elements and monitoring every location suspected of sheltering militants.

“Our forces and allied aircraft are tracking all suspected positions where ISIS remnants may be hiding. The operations are ongoing, and we are determined to eliminate any remaining threat,” the officer said.

Local residents and nomadic communities in parts of Bari region have reported increased military activity over the past several days, including the movement of ground troops and a noticeable rise in aircraft flying over mountainous areas.

Some residents said the remaining militants have resorted to looting livestock, robbing travelers, and targeting isolated nomadic settlements after losing access to their traditional supply networks and financial resources.

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The Cal Miskaad mountains have long been considered one of the main strongholds for ISIS fighters in northeastern Somalia due to the difficult terrain, caves, and remote hideouts that allow militants to evade conventional military operations.

Over the past several years, Puntland authorities have increasingly focused on dismantling ISIS networks in the Bari region, accusing the group of carrying out assassinations, extortion schemes, bomb attacks, and maintaining links with transnational extremist organizations operating across the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

Operation Hillaac, launched in recent months, has been described by Puntland officials as one of the largest and most coordinated anti-ISIS offensives ever conducted in northeastern Somalia. Authorities claim the operation has succeeded in destroying multiple militant camps, weapons depots, communication centers, and training facilities hidden within the mountainous terrain.

Security analysts say the recent offensives have significantly weakened ISIS’s operational capacity in Puntland, forcing many fighters to scatter into smaller groups to avoid direct confrontations with security forces and airstrikes.

Despite the military gains, experts warn that isolated ISIS cells may continue to pose security threats through guerrilla-style attacks, ambushes, targeted killings, and criminal activities aimed at destabilizing local communities.

Puntland authorities previously issued warnings to nomadic residents and traders in parts of the Bari region to avoid areas suspected of harboring ISIS fighters. The government announced a five-day evacuation notice before expanding air and ground operations into the targeted zones.

The renewed operations also come amid broader regional efforts to combat extremist organizations operating across Somalia, where both Al-Shabaab and ISIS-linked groups continue to exploit insecurity, weak governance, and remote terrain to maintain their presence.

International security partners have increasingly supported Puntland’s counterterrorism operations through intelligence-sharing, aerial reconnaissance, and precision strikes aimed at preventing extremist groups from reestablishing safe havens in the region.

Officials say the operations will continue until all remaining ISIS fighters are either captured or eliminated from the Cal Miskaad mountains and surrounding areas.

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