UAE Air Raids Target ISIS in Somalia’s Northeastern State, Resulting in Scores of Militant Casualties

BOSASO, Somalia – In a meticulously orchestrated strike on the insurgent stronghold of Northeastern State, the United Arab Emirates conducted airstrikes that claimed the lives of over a dozen militants associated with the Islamic State organization. Reports from local military sources on Sunday confirm the fatalities included key figures of the group.

Consider, if you will, the strategic precision required for such an operation. The first airstrike targeted the Xankookib caves near Dhasan. In a scene reminiscent of a movie yet all too real, the strike obliterated a formidable ISIS weapons cache along with several vehicles. It was more than just a blow to their supplies; it was a symbolic hit. The Northeastern State Counterterrorism Unit acknowledged that this operation represents a significant collaboration with the security forces of the United Arab Emirates.

Following this, a second wave of aerial assault descended upon the Darar-Madoobe area in the Calmiskaad mountains. Once a haven for militants, this location too witnessed the destruction of essential transport vehicles and armaments. In the grand strategy to destabilize ISIS’s logistic framework, could this be seen as a turning point?

Reflecting on prior engagements, the airstrikes arrive on the heels of an American offensive on February 1. Those earlier strikes resulted in 14 militants meeting their demise, among them Ahmed Maeleninine. Ahmed was more than a foot soldier; his grasp extended into recruitment, intricate financing webs, and scripts for attacks reaching international shores. His death signals an era closing, perhaps?

The question arises: What draws the UAE into this distant theater of war? Beyond political alignments and regional discussions lies a more profound commitment to uprooting extremism—wherever it festers. These sorties are emblematic of the protracted yet relentless campaign to snuff out ISIS from Northeastern State. While the U.S. provides airborne deterrence, the persistence on the ground exemplifies the cooperation between multinational forces and the resilient local units striving to dismantle the ISIS apparatus at its core.

In the words of Sun Tzu, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” It seems the modern arena suggests air supremacy is the aegis behind which such victories are forged. 

AXADLETM

Report By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international – Monitoring