Cooperation between Puntland and the United States reached its highest level on November 25, when more than 200 American Special Forces personnel carried out coordinated ground and air attacks on ISIS bases in the Baalade Valley.

MQ-9 Reaper drones conducted targeted airstrikes on locations believed to be sheltering senior ISIS officials. Preliminary reports suggest that the operation killed a high-ranking ISIS commander along with about 15 fighters of Syrian, Turkish, and Ethiopian origin.

Puntland forces also destroyed a weapons cache and equipment used by the group to manage illegal gold-mining operations—one of ISIS’s key financial sources.

Puntland security officials say that although Mumin’s group has been significantly weakened, the leader himself remains in the Al Miskad Mountains, frequently shifting between hideouts. An estimated 200 ISIS fighters are still in the area, reportedly suffering from severe shortages of food and supplies. Security sources in the Bari region say the group now survives on wild plants, highlighting the drastic decline in its combat capability.

Abdulqadir Mumin has long been associated with extremist platforms, having previously worked in mosques in Britain where he was accused of spreading radical ideologies.

Puntland forces say they will continue operations against the group, insisting that Mumin has no viable escape route. A senior PMPF officer stated that the group is now in its “final stage.”

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U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed to Fox News Digital on Friday that it conducted 10 airstrikes in 2024. By contrast, more than 100 strikes have already been executed in Somalia this year.

In the most recent operation on Tuesday, AFRICOM forces took part in an airstrike and an alleged four-hour gun battle with ISIS-Somalia fighters in Puntland, located in northern Somalia.

According to an AFRICOM press release, the mission was carried out “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.”

Several local sources reported that high-ranking ISIS operatives were targeted. Early accounts suggest that a senior militant leader was either killed or apprehended, and up to 10 fighters were eliminated. No U.S. casualties have been reported.

This latest strike follows a series of U.S. missions targeting extremist factions throughout Somalia, including ISIS, ISIS-Somalia, and the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab.

An AFRICOM spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday that the U.S. “conducted an airstrike approximately 66 km southeast of Bossaso. To date, we have completed 101 airstrikes in Somalia — 59 of which specifically targeted ISIS-Somalia.

“In collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia, we continue to take measures to diminish the capacity of ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabab to threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad.”

According to local accounts, U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones initially launched missiles at militants positioned in and around a large cave. This was reportedly followed by an assault involving 10 helicopters. Multiple sources claimed that U.S. personnel disembarked from the aircraft during the operation.

However, U.S. military officials denied that American troops conducted any on-ground maneuvers, firmly rejecting reports that U.S. forces had set foot on Somali territory. Officials reiterated that no ground operation took place.

In a public statement, AFRICOM emphasized that “specific details about units and assets will not be released” to preserve operational security.

In August, AFRICOM announced multiple airstrikes against ISIS militants. AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson stated that “these lethal strikes demonstrate our resolve and commitment to keeping Americans and our partners safe from the threat of global terrorism.” He added that the strikes targeted “an organization intending to export its violence to the U.S. and our allies.”

Official military photographs showed U.S. aircraft launching from an aircraft carrier during the operations.

Ahmed Soliman, a senior research fellow in the Africa Programme at Chatham House, told Fox News Digital, “The U.S. focus on [ISIS] in Puntland is partly driven by the goal of preventing another international [ISIS] ‘safe haven’ from emerging, as well as concerns about ISIS-Somalia’s recruitment of foreign fighters.”

He added, “However, this emphasis has raised concerns that the international response may not be keeping pace with al-Shabab’s resurgence in central and southern Somalia. Al-Shabab has taken advantage of the shifting international focus to reestablish its operational areas.

“These gains have occurred amid Somalia’s increasingly fractured domestic political environment. Persistent power struggles between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and federal member states such as Puntland and Jubaland have undermined coordination and counterterrorism efforts.”

In May, AFRICOM’s former commander, Gen. Michael E. Langley, speaking about U.S. strikes in Somalia, told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the U.S. “is actively pursuing and eliminating jihadist fighters.”

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Kaab TV has learned that a delegation led by Puntland President Saeed Abdullahi Deni, who recently visited the UAE, held discussions with the UAE Government on ways to provide extensive support to Puntland’s operations against Daesh.

Puntland has emphasized the importance of boosting the morale of its fighting forces and has requested support to compensate the families of soldiers who died in the conflict.

While the exact number of soldiers who have died in Puntland has not been officially announced, estimates suggest the toll is in the hundreds since the launch of the Lightning Operation, which targeted ISIS positions in the region.

Sources close to the Puntland presidency have confirmed that up to $20,000 will be provided to the family of each soldier who died during Operation Hellaac.

This initiative could help Puntland build confidence in its military forces fighting against the terrorist group. The region has recently faced criticism for allegedly failing to provide adequate medical care and support to soldiers injured in the anti-terrorism campaign.

In addition, Puntland hopes the UAE will assist with the salaries of government employees. Currently, the UAE covers the salaries of the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF), which received training from the UAE.

Puntland has faced a financial shortfall due to the suspension of international budget support, which it has not received for more than six years because of conflicts with the Federal Government in Mogadishu.

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Security sources reported Wednesday that dozens of American troops were inserted into the area aboard MH-60 helicopters, while MQ-9 Reaper drones executed precision strikes on a compound believed to house 10–15 ISIS militants in the Habarbakuuje and Mareero areas of the valley.

The assault sparked a fierce gun battle lasting between two and four hours at a heavily fortified hideout thought to shelter foreign fighters from Syria, Turkey, and Ethiopia.

Initial assessments indicate that a senior ISIS commander and several aides were killed, with an estimated 5–10 confirmed militant fatalities. Joint forces also destroyed a weapons cache and equipment used in ISIS-run gold-mining operations — a key financial lifeline for the group in Puntland.

The Puntland administration has reiterated its goal of eliminating ISIS from the region by the end of 2025.

The United States continues to support Puntland with intelligence and targeted airstrikes in the region’s mountainous terrain, pressure that has forced ISIS militants to abandon several positions and retreat into more isolated hideouts.

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The individuals, identified as Maadey Hussein Ibrahim and Hassan Ibrahim Abdirahman, have been transferred to Bosaso city for investigation, according to Puntland military officials.

Meanwhile, Puntland forces are conducting an operation in the Maragade Well area in the Baalle stream, where U.S. forces recently carried out airstrikes targeting ISIS militants.

Puntland counter-terrorism units, working in cooperation with international partners, reportedly killed at least five fleeing ISIS fighters in Barakalash, located within the Al-Miskad mountains.

Over the past few days, both air and ground operations have intensified in the Baalle stream area of Al-Miskad, in what authorities describe as the final phase of efforts to eliminate the remaining ISIS (Daesh) presence in the region.

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Military officials said specially trained units launched a pre-dawn operation and seized the well without encountering resistance.

ISIS militants who had been stationed in the area reportedly fled before the troops advanced, leaving behind a small cache of supplies.

The Ministry of Information described the capture as part of the final phase of operations to dismantle ISIS in Puntland.

Officials warned, however, that the group may attempt to exploit the current rainy season, following months of drought that had limited its movement and offensive capacity.

“ISIS has abandoned direct confrontations. They now rely on ambushes by small groups of 8–10 fighters, often supported by snipers,” the ministry said in a statement. “Defense forces must remain vigilant.”

The ministry added that ISIS remains in a “poor logistical situation” after nearly a year of sustained military pressure and urged the public to remain alert and report any attempts by the group to secure supplies or local support.

Puntland forces have been fighting ISIS-Somalia since December last year, when the region launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the mountainous areas of Bari, the main hideouts of the extremist group in northeastern Somalia.

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In an operation conducted by security forces around the Biyo-Kulule area, a vehicle known as a “Toyota Dyna” carrying various food supplies was captured, with two men inside.

Security sources said the two men arrested confessed that they were transporting the supplies to members of Daesh hiding in the Baallade valley in Bari region.

“The security forces were following the men who drove the truck from Bosaso. There were stopped as the tried to enter the mountainous area just off the Bosaso southern road,” said one security officer in the area.

An official from the Puntland government’s investigation units, speaking to the media, said the vehicle was secretly loaded inside Boosaaso, but the security forces successfully intercepted it in the Biyo-Kulule area as it was heading towards the Baallade valley.

The official also mentioned that further investigations are underway regarding the two men arrested, who provided additional details about the types of supplies they were carrying and the recipients.

Meanwhile, reports from inside the Daesh group indicate that they have run out of food and medicine after Puntland forces succeeded in completely isolating the areas where they were hiding.

Security officials say the remaining Daesh fighters are scattered in various locations across Bari region, where they are trying to regroup after retreating from most of the mountainous Cal-Miskaad area.

Puntland forces are continuing their operations against ISIS-Somalia, with air support for the raids provided by the U.S. AFRICOM command.

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The suspects were allegedly plotting coordinated bomb attacks and destabilization campaigns across Ethiopia.

NISS said the group is affiliated with the ISIS faction operating out of Somalia’s Puntland region, where they are believed to have received training before being dispatched to Ethiopian cities.

Authorities said the aim of the suspects was to expand ISIS operations inside Ethiopia and establish clandestine bases to recruit and mobilize new fighters.

NISS stated that it had obtained credible intelligence and concrete evidence linking the suspects to international networks that provided them with intelligence, financial, and logistical support.

The arrests took place in multiple locations, including Addis Ababa, Sheger, Adama, Shashamane, Harar, Bale, Jimma, Shaakiso, Jigjiga, Shawe, Silte, Halaba, Qulito, and Kamise.

Ethiopian Security officials said further investigations are ongoing and vowed that anyone found to be connected to the network will be brought to justice.

The crackdown follows recent warnings from Ethiopian security officials about growing threats from extremist elements operating in neighboring Somalia.

Last month, Ethiopia’s Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, told the national parliament that the country faces a major security risk from armed groups heavily concentrated inside Somalia.

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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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Puntland forces have been battling ISIS militants entrenched in the Cal Miskaad mountains since December 2024.

The counter-terror operation dubbed as “Hillaac” is now in its third phase.

During a meeting held in Bosaso, chaired by President Deni, discussions focused on accelerating the completion of the ongoing operation.

In a press statement issued by the government, it was noted that the meeting was attended by security officials and various levels of government authorities involved in the operation.

President Deni encouraged continued action to bring the operation to a successful close.

Key decisions announced at the meeting include:

Security forces were instructed to take firm action against illegal arms, unlicensed vehicles, and individuals involved in such activities.

Authorities at district, regional, and security levels were again reminded to crack down on the illegal entry of undocumented foreigners into Puntland, as well as to combat human smuggling operations.

Until further notice, the movement of passenger and cargo boats along the coastal areas of the operational zone has been banned, unless specific authorization is granted.

The movement of food supplies and aid into the operation areas has also been suspended unless prior approval is obtained and the origin and destination are clearly known.

The meeting also praised the people of Puntland, both inside the country and abroad, for their unwavering support of the Puntland forces engaged in the operation.

Locals were urged to continue their strong backing until the mission is fully achieved.

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