Somalia intensifies push to flush out ISIS elements holed up in Puntland’s Almiskaad mountains

Somalia has intensified the fight against a resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS) threat in its northeast regions of Puntland State along its rugged and porous hills overlooking the Gulf of Aden.

Puntland State has unleashed a heavily armed infantry force of 7,000 soldiers into the Almiskaad mountains in the Bari region, under an operation dubbed “hilaac” or lightening, seeking to flush out ISIS elements holed up there, including their leader Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin, a native of the area.

Puntland Minister of Information Mohamed Aidiid confirmed that the forces are making steady progress in the ongoing operation against ISIS and urged the public to stand with their forces.

“Our forces are deep inside the Almiskaad mountains (going) after the ISIS terrorists. Puntland forces have cleared many caves and ISIS hideouts and today captured key logistic stores of food and munitions belonging to ISIS in caves deep in the mountains. Our forces today also brought down a drone that was being used by ISIS for surveillance,” Mohamed told reporters on Saturday.

A senior Puntland military officer speaking from the frontlines in Aroorka Deylanka village told Puntland State media that the forces have so far covered nearly 70 km and have cleared ISIS from many bases, including taking over key logistics hubs, cutting off food suppliers to the terrorists hiding in the mountains.

In footage shared by Puntland State media, heavily armed Puntland forces are seen walking in the rugged train and detonating landmines believed to have been planted by ISIS to slow down the advancing soldiers.

“We have captured many bases from ISIS who are on the run. Our forces cleared the terrorists from many areas and are pursuing the ISIS militants who are on the run,” the commander said without giving his name.

Residents of Dharjaale village located at the foot of Almiskaad mountains on Sunday reported heavy fighting overnight.

“Last night we heard explosions and heavy gunfights that lit the skies in the mountains,” Salah Ali, a resident of Dharjaale, told The Eastleigh Voice.

Ahmed Abdi Hure, a senior advisor to Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni urged the public to stand with their forces. He was speaking on Saturday when received food donations for the forces battling the ISIS insurgents.

“Our country is under attack from foreign ISIS militants hiding in Almiskaad mountains. In Dharjaale village our forces killed 12 foreigners from various countries,” he said.

Rooted out of Syria, Iraq

Puntland officials say hundreds of ISIS fighters from the Middle East have been sneaking into its eastern rugged Golis and Alimiskaad mountainous region in the last few months after being rooted out of Syria and Iraq.

A United Nations Arms Monitoring Group report of November 2024 also said that ISIS foreign fighters have been flocking to Somalia. The report said the foreigners were coming from at least six countries, namely Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Sudan, Morocco and Tanzania.

US officials are also on record warning against the increasing ISIS threat in Somalia. Washington supports Puntland forces in the fight against ISIS as well as Al-Shabaab in the south.

Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni recently declared a total war on ISIS and ordered the state’s security forces to remove them from its regions.

Locals say the militants extorted businesses in Puntland and curtailed the movement of people and goods in the Bari region where both ISIS and Al-Shabaab have operated for a long time.