Senior Puntland State commander killed by explosion during anti-ISIS operation
BOSASO, Somalia — A senior commander in Puntland State’s counter‑terrorism forces was killed Monday when an explosive device detonated during a sweep of rugged mountains where Islamic State fighters have been hiding, regional officials said.
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General Ahmed Ali Qarjab, widely known by the nom de guerre “Qalyare,” was serving as commander of Puntland State’s 2nd Battalion when the blast struck in Dhasaan, in the Al‑Miskaad mountain range. Puntland State officials said the general died alongside members of his personal guard after a landmine detonated near an area known locally as Togga Baalade, where troops have been pursuing small, mobile ISIS cells for weeks.
The operation and airstrikes
Puntland State’s Counter‑Terrorism Forces said earlier that they were conducting targeted operations against militants believed to be using caves and ravines in the Baallade valley as hideouts. In a statement, they said two airstrikes struck cave positions on Monday — actions carried out with the assistance of the Puntland State government’s U.S. partners — as ground troops continued their advance.
The combination of steep terrain, cave networks and improvised explosive devices has made the Al‑Miskaad mountains a persistent headache for regional forces. “They play hide and seek in those valleys,” a Puntland State security official told local media, describing a fluid battlefield where small ISIS elements melt away into the landscape and strike back at the first opportunity.
Responses and eulogies
Local and regional leaders paid tribute to Gen. Qalyare, casting his death as a sacrifice in the wider fight against terrorism. Mohamed Abdirahman, Puntland State’s minister for Environment and Climate Change, described the slain officer as “a patriot,” praising his bravery and asking for prayers for him and the fallen guards.
“Their sacrifice is a symbol of bravery, selflessness, and the struggle to secure peace and eliminate terrorism. May Allah grant them Jannatul Firdows and give the Puntland State forces patience and strength,” Mohamed Abdirahman wrote on X.
The presidency of the newly declared Northeastern State — a political structure encompassing parts of Puntland State — also lauded the commander. “The President affirmed that Gen. Qalyare will be remembered for his bravery, patriotism, and unwavering dedication to his national duty, standing firm on every frontline and never retreating from responsibility,” the state’s presidency said in a release.
Why this matters
Puntland State, an autonomous region in northeastern Somalia centered on the port city of Bosaso, has for years faced security challenges distinct from the south, where Al‑Shabab remains the dominant insurgent group. The Islamic State’s presence in Puntland State has been smaller and more fragmented, but its fighters have proven capable of mounting deadly ambushes and planting explosive devices in mountainous hideouts.
The death of a senior field commander highlights several recurring dilemmas in counter‑insurgency: the danger of leading from the front, the difficulty of clearing terrain riddled with mines and caves, and the reliance on external partners for air support. In recent months, regional forces have leaned on international partners for intelligence, aerial strikes and logistical support — a pattern seen across Africa and the Middle East where local forces confront dispersed extremist cells.
Broader trends and questions
- Decentralized affiliates: The Islamic State’s model has shifted since 2014 to a network of often small and locally embedded affiliates. They can be hard to eradicate completely because they blend into communities and use difficult terrain to their advantage.
- Proxy and partner reliance: Foreign airpower and support can be decisive in specific engagements, but they rarely substitute for sustained on‑the‑ground governance and development that blunt recruitment.
- Leadership losses and morale: The killing of senior officers can produce both immediate operational disruption and symbolic rallying — either demoralizing troops or hardening resolve.
For residents of coastal towns and mountain villages in Puntland State, the practical questions are stark: Will intensified military pressure push militants out for good, or scatter them into new areas? Can regional authorities translate battlefield gains into lasting security and services that reduce the appeal of violent groups?
What comes next
Puntland State’s counter‑terrorism forces and their partners face a gruelling task. Clearing caves and valleys is slow, dangerous work that is easily undermined by leftover explosives and sleeper cells. The announcement of airstrikes suggests operations will continue, but history in Somalia shows that waves of offensives are often followed by periods in which militants regroup and adapt.
The death of Gen. Qalyare is likely to be used both as a rallying cry for local forces and by militants to claim resistance. For families who have already paid a high price in decades of conflict, it is another reminder of the human cost of a long war. As Puntland State mourns a commander, the broader challenge remains: how to turn battlefield pressure into durable stability, and how to build institutions resilient enough to withstand repeated shocks.
In the coming days, regional authorities will likely increase patrols and push deeper into known hideouts, while international partners may reassess the level and type of support they provide. And across Somalia and beyond, policy makers and citizens alike must ask: are military strikes alone enough to prevent the next generation from being drawn into extremism?
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
