Somalia airstrikes in Puntland State kill ISIS fighters amid renewed campaign

BOSASO, Somalia — Puntland State’s counterterrorism forces say an airstrike carried out with international partners killed at least five fighters from the Islamic State group (ISIS) as they fled through the Cal-Miskaad Mountains, intensifying a sweeping operation in northern Somalia.

• Puntland State officials say the strike hit the Barakalash area of the Baalade Valley.
• At least five ISIS militants were killed, according to the Puntland State Counter-Terrorism Forces.
• Further details are expected from U.S. Africa Command, which Puntland State said conducted the air support.

The militants were targeted while retreating from ongoing ground operations, Puntland State authorities said. “A fresh airstrike has just killed at least five fleeing ISIS terrorists,” the Puntland State Counter-Terrorism Forces said in a statement, adding the strike “was carried out by Puntland State’s U.S. partners” and that additional information would be released later by U.S. Africa Command.

The operation came amid sustained pressure on ISIS cells operating in the rugged Cal-Miskaad range, where Somali security forces have been pursuing hideouts and logistical hubs used by the group. The Baalade Valley, a key corridor through the mountains, has been the focus of multiple recent actions, officials said.

Earlier in the operation, Puntland State authorities reported apprehending a suspected ISIS operative identified as a Moroccan national who, according to the forces, served as the group’s head of GPS navigation systems. The individual, who identified himself as Abdirihiin Ibn Borosa, was detained while attempting to flee, the statement said.

The latest strike follows an air operation “a few days ago” that targeted ISIS militants hiding in the Maragade well area of the Baalade Valley, Puntland State officials said. That earlier action was also attributed to air support from U.S. partners as part of the broader counterterrorism campaign in the Cal-Miskaad Mountains.

Puntland State authorities did not immediately disclose the identities of those killed in the Barakalash strike or provide details on any weapons or materiel recovered. No injuries among Puntland State forces were reported in the brief statements released.

U.S. Africa Command, which periodically conducts and supports counterterrorism operations in Somalia, was expected to issue an assessment of the strike. Puntland State officials have increasingly emphasized coordination with international partners in their push to degrade ISIS networks and disrupt militant mobility across the mountainous terrain.

Puntland State’s Counter-Terrorism Forces described the current campaign as a rolling effort aimed at squeezing ISIS fighters from their sanctuaries and supply lines in the north. The focus on Baalade Valley and adjacent areas underscores the strategic value of the corridor — a contested route that militants have used to move personnel and equipment between remote hideouts.

Authorities offered no timeline for the operation but said air support would continue as ground forces press their advance. As of the latest statement, the counterterrorism sweep in the Cal-Miskaad Mountains remained active, with officials signaling more updates to come as assessments from international partners are finalized.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.