Somalia: Puntland Forces Launch Multi-Front Offensive on ISIS Hideouts

Ceelka Il-Abbal, Somalia – Puntland defense forces launched a multi-pronged assault Monday on ISIS hideouts in the Al-Miskad mountain range, targeting senior militant leaders who have been in hiding since the group's recent battlefield defeats.

The offensive focused on the Ceelka Il-Abbal area, a remote and rugged location where high-ranking ISIS members are believed to be sheltering. According to security sources, the militants include Abdirahman Faahiye and other top figures linked to the group’s leadership.

“These individuals are among the last remaining senior ISIS leaders in the region,” a Puntland security official told Garowe Online, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We are committed to neutralizing the threat they pose to regional stability.”

The operation follows the successful “Hillaac” campaign started in December 2024, which dismantled several ISIS camps in northeastern Somalia and forced many of the group’s fighters into retreat.

President Said Abdullahi Deni recently confirmed that Puntland forces were pursuing at least two key ISIS leaders who escaped earlier offensives. Monday’s operation is seen as part of that ongoing effort to eliminate the group’s presence in the area.

Military sources said the assault would continue until the mountainous zone is fully cleared of militants.

GAROWE ONLINE