Foothold

BALIDHIDIN, Somalia — A lone figure lay on the sun-drenched ridge, a fallen Islamic State combatant, as Somali soldiers, heavily armed and determined, wound their way to a distant cavern. Their progress brought them to a new frontier against the global menace of the Islamic State. In the semi-autonomous region of Northeastern State, the threat has been growing. Foreign militants arrive in torrents, and these hostile infiltrators have turned Somalia into a pivotal launching pad for radical operations. By their side, money…