Bosaso, Somalia — Puntland forces claimed significant victories against the Islamic State in Somalia, following a series of intense military operations in the northeastern Cal Miskaad mountains, long considered the group's main stronghold in the country.
According to a statement released by Puntland security officials on Wednesday, the latest offensives resulted in the deaths of at least 15 ISIS fighters and the capture of key militant positions, including Ceelasha Burti-Cise and Af-ka Dharimood in the Baallade valley region.
Joint units from Puntland's Defense Forces carried out coordinated ground assaults from multiple directions, targeting entrenched ISIS hideouts.
Commanders said the operation was part of a broader campaign aimed at eradicating the group's remaining presence in remote areas of the Bari region.
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"During the operation, our forces successfully neutralized several militants and regained control of strategic sites used by the terrorist group for logistics and training," the statement said.
Puntland authorities also shared images on social media purportedly showing the bodies of IS fighters killed during the assault. The authenticity of the images could not be independently verified.
For months, Puntland forces have intensified counterterrorism operations against IS cells operating in the rugged Cal Miskaad terrain. Officials say the group has suffered severe losses and is now limited to a few scattered locations.
"This is part of our final push to eliminate IS from Puntland territory," a senior security officer said under condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing nature of the operations.
The Islamic State's presence in Somalia is relatively small compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, but it has posed a persistent threat, particularly in the mountainous areas of northeastern Somalia, where it first established a foothold in 2015.
Puntland's regional government, which started the campaign in the Calmiskaad mountains in December 2024, has vowed to continue the campaign until the group is fully dismantled.
