Somalia: U.S. Conducts Airstrike Against ISIS Targets in Puntland State

BOSASO, Somalia — U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted a precision airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia militants in the remote Cal Miskaad mountain range in the Bari region, military officials confirmed Wednesday.

The strike occurred in the vicinity of the Baallade valley, approximately 70 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Bosaso. In a brief statement, AFRICOM described the operation as a collective effort coordinated with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali National Army.

The operation aims to degrade the operational capabilities of ISIS-Somalia, a faction that remains a key target for U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the Horn of Africa.

"AFRICOM and its partners remain committed to disrupting the activities of ISIS-Somalia to prevent the group from threatening the United States, its forces, and its citizens abroad," the command said in a press release.

Military officials declined to release specific details regarding the units involved or the hardware utilized in the strike, citing the need to maintain operational security for ongoing missions in the region.

The U.S. intervention comes at a critical time for security in the Puntland state. Local authorities have recently scaled back ground operations against the extremist group, withdrawing some units from the Cal Miskaad area.

Puntland security officials maintain that the remaining ISIS elements in the mountains are largely isolated. Regional intelligence suggests that while remnants of the group persist in the rugged terrain, their logistics and supply chains—previously managed by clandestine networks providing food and livestock—have been significantly disrupted.

GAROWE ONLINE