U.S. AFRICOM launches airstrike on ISIS targets in Somalia’s Puntland State mountains

AFRICOM targets ISIS-Somalia hideouts in Puntland State airstrike near Bosaso

MOGADISHU — U.S. Africa Command said Tuesday it carried out an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia fighters in northeastern Somalia, striking mountain hideouts in Puntland State’s Bari region as joint counterterrorism operations continue.

In a statement, AFRICOM said the strike took place about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southeast of the port city of Bosaso, in areas identified as Togga Baallade and along the Al-Miskaad mountain range. The command said the operation was coordinated with the Somali federal government and Somali security forces and aimed to degrade ISIS’ operational capabilities while reducing threats to U.S. personnel, interests and regional allies.

“Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operational security,” the statement said.

ISIS-Somalia, a smaller but increasingly active offshoot of the Islamic State group, operates primarily in the rugged highlands of Puntland State. The group has clashed with regional security forces in recent years and leveraged difficult terrain in the Bari region to establish entrenched positions and evade ground pressure.

The latest strike comes as Puntland State authorities have adjusted their ground operations in the northeast. Regional officials say some ISIS fighters are believed to be confined to mountainous strongholds after security forces disrupted supply routes feeding remote encampments. Puntland State security sources say the network had relied on clandestine channels to move food and livestock into the area.

AFRICOM did not release further details about the strike’s effects. The command periodically conducts air operations in Somalia against both ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabab, the al-Qaida-linked insurgency that remains the country’s dominant militant force.

The Al-Miskaad range, which stretches along Somalia’s far northeast, has long provided cover and mobility to armed groups. Togga Baallade — a seasonal valley system threaded through the mountains — offers access routes that militants have used to stage attacks, move fighters and receive supplies. Somali security units, backed by U.S. support, have focused recent efforts on restricting those routes in a bid to isolate cells and interrupt financing and logistics.

Tuesday’s announcement underscores ongoing cooperation between U.S. and Somali forces at a time when authorities in Puntland State are seeking to consolidate gains on the ground. While the United States has maintained a “by, with and through” approach in Somalia — supporting local partners with training, intelligence and limited precision strikes — officials in both countries say the broader objective remains the same: disrupt militant safe havens and deny armed groups the space to plan and conduct attacks.

As of Tuesday, no additional information was provided about casualties or damage assessments, and AFRICOM said it would not discuss operational specifics beyond the strike location and coordination with Somali counterparts.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

Wednesday March 11, 2026