Puntland Forces Score Fresh Gains in Al‑Miskaad, Dislodging ISIS From Strategic Sites

BOSASO, Somalia - The ISIS militants fighting in the expansive Cal-Miskaad mountains within Puntland continue to lose several strategic grounds, officials said, following a spirited campaign by local forces who started the operations 10 months ago.

The local forces are working closely with the US Africa Command, which has increased airstrikes in the Puntland region, along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) forces, who have also provided aerial support throughout the operation.

According to the counterterrorism support team, the ISIS militants were dislodged from a strategic base in Puntland, marking yet another significant victory in the fight against the group, which is predominantly caged within the Bari region.

"In today's operation, the forces removed fleeing Daesh terrorists from the Habar-Bakuuje area near Il-Abal. Several terrorist members were killed in the fighting, and the clearing operation against the fleeing militants is progressing well," said a statement from the Puntland Counter-Terrorism Command.

Several other caves have been seized before, with ISIS losing strategic locations, further struggling to mount a comeback. The government of Somalia is facing both the ISIS and al-Shabaab threats, leading to a level of instability that is yet to be cured.

Last week, security forces captured a foreign member of the ISIS terrorists and are pursuing at least two others in Baallade Valley. Ongoing operations have left the fugitives with no options but to be killed, surrender, or be hunted down.

The fighter, whose details remain scanty, sent a message to his comrades in the ISIS terrorist group, urging those who remained to surrender to the Puntland government forces, assuring them they would be treated well; failure to which the forces would eliminate them.

President Said Abdullahi Deni announced that the state would use all the available resources to eliminate the ISIS militants from the state, "even without the support of the Federal Government of Somalia ".

GAROWE ONLINE