Somalia: Islamic State deploys suicide attackers in Puntland State as offensive intensifies
BOSASO, Somalia — Islamic State militants in Somalia launched suicide attackers against a Puntland State security position in the Miiraale valley on Saturday, prompting a fierce clash that left at least seven people dead as regional forces push deeper into militant strongholds in the Cal-Miskaad mountains.
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Assault and casualties
Puntland State authorities said their forces repelled the attack and killed four militants at the scene. Local media reported that three Puntland State security personnel were also killed. The confrontation occurred as a security camp in Miiraale came under assault by fighters described by officials as suicidal operatives deployed by the Islamic State’s local branch.
Officials said operations are continuing in the surrounding terrain to clear remaining militants hiding in caves and difficult mountain terrain. Casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Offensive in the Cal-Miskaad mountains
The fighting marks an escalation in a months-long campaign by Puntland State, which launched a sustained offensive against Islamic State positions in late 2024 across the Cal-Miskaad range in the Bari region. Authorities say the effort has entered a critical phase aimed at dislodging militants from strategic sites.
Earlier in the week, Puntland State forces reported a targeted airstrike that killed three suspected Islamic State fugitives who had attempted to conceal themselves beneath a tree. Security officials have characterized that strike as part of a broader “clearance” push to degrade remaining pockets of resistance in the mountains.
External support and next steps
Puntland State has conducted the campaign largely on its own, without direct support from Somalia’s federal government, according to regional officials. The United States Africa Command and the United Arab Emirates have provided aerial support to the effort, authorities said.
Regional officials project that more than 90% of the operation has been completed and say the final phase is focused on flushing militants from remaining hideouts while taking steps to shield civilians. Authorities have emphasized efforts to prevent women and children from being used as human shields as fighters retreat.
Strategic stakes
The Cal-Miskaad mountains, a rugged expanse overlooking parts of Puntland State’s Bari region, have long offered cover and mobility to armed groups. Puntland State’s leadership has framed the current operation as an attempt to deny militants sanctuary, asserting that steady advances in recent months have degraded the group’s capacity to mount attacks.
Saturday’s assault in Miiraale underscores the risks faced by the region’s security forces as they press into difficult terrain where militants retain the ability to launch lethal, close-range attacks. Officials said ground operations would continue in the coming days to pursue remaining fighters and secure the area.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
