Somalia: 13 foreign ISIS fighters killed in airstrike

[Deeq A.]

BOSSASO, Somalia – An airstrike in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region killed more than 13 foreign fighters belonging to the Islamic State (ISIS) group, security officials said Monday.

The strike targeted ISIS hideouts in the Dhasaq area of the Calmiskaad mountains within the past 24 hours, Puntland’s counter-terrorism unit said in a statement. The statement specified that the dead were “foreign fighters.”

Puntland security forces also carried out operations in the Hararyo and Toga-Jeceel areas, discovering sites previously used by ISIS, according to a separate statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Regional officials did not disclose the origin of the airstrike.

However, the strike comes just over a week after US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed conducting airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia in coordination with the Somali government. AFRICOM said those strikes killed key ISIS-Somalia members.

ISIS maintains a presence in Puntland, though it is smaller than the al-Shabaab militant group, which has been fighting Somalia’s government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) since 2007. Al-Shabaab is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

ISIS-Somalia, also known locally as Jabhaat al-Islamiya or Abnaa ul-Calipha primarily operates in Puntland’s Bari region.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an “all-out war” against al-Shabaab in 2022. Puntland security forces have been conducting operations against extremist groups for over a month.

Islamic State presence in Somalia

ISIS established a foothold in Somalia around 2015, primarily in the northern Puntland region. Although significantly smaller than the more dominant al-Shabaab, ISIS has maintained a presence through guerrilla tactics, targeted assassinations, and occasional large-scale attacks.

The group often clashes with al-Shabaab, competing for recruits, resources, and territory.

Puntland’s rugged terrain, particularly the Al-Miskaad Mountains, has provided a strategic advantage for ISIS fighters, allowing them to establish hidden bases and evade security operations.

Puntland security forces have been engaged in sustained anti-terror operations for over a month, successfully reclaiming territories previously controlled by ISIS militants.

Somalia has grappled with widespread insecurity for years, facing persistent threats from both al-Shabaab and ISIS.

Al-Shabaab, which has been waging an insurgency against the Somali government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) since 2007, remains the most prominent militant threat.