Garowe, (Idil News) β Puntland armed forces conducted airstrikes on suspected ISIS hideouts in the mountainous Bari region on Tuesday, marking an escalation in the semi-autonomous stateβs campaign against militant groups.
The strikes targeted areas believed to host ISIS-Somalia bases, according to Gen. Mohamoud Mohamed Ahmed, a spokesman for Puntland’s counter-terrorism special operations unit. Speaking to Voice of America, Ahmed confirmed the operation was carried out with assistance from U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM).
βWe conducted airstrikes in several locations where ISIS militants were hiding. Casualties have been reported, but we are still gathering exact numbers,β he said.
The operation comes as part of Puntland’s military offensive against ISIS, the militant group operating in Somalia. Local sources reported intense clashes, with Puntland forces claiming to have killed multiple foreign fighters in the region.
ISIS-Somalia, a smaller but persistent faction of the global ISIS network, has sought to establish footholds in remote areas of Bari, using the rugged terrain to evade capture and launch attacks. Puntland forces have previously repelled ISIS offensives and continue to confront both ISIS and Al-Shabaab threats.
Puntland, is a de-facto state, announced the military campaign in late November 2024, underscoring its ongoing counterterrorism in the region. The state has called for greater support from international partners in combating extremist groups.
USAFRICOM has previously provided air support and training to Puntland forces as part of its broader effort to counterterrorism in East Africa.
The Bari region operation is ongoing, with authorities expecting to release further details on the impact of the strikes in the upcoming day or two.
Reporting by Jibril Qoobey and Editing by π―π. ππππππ.