Somalia: Puntland Military Presses Fight Against ISIS, Targets Last Strongholds

BOSASO, Somalia - Even with limited resources for the fight against ISIS militants, the Puntland frontline military leaders have vowed to press on until all territories occupied by the militants are liberated for the sake of stability and prosperity of the northern state of Somalia.

For two months, Puntland has sustained military operations within the Cal-Miskaad mountains in the eastern regions, displacing hundreds of the fighters while killing many of them — mostly foreign nationals with association with the ISIS terrorists.

With several strategic caves under the control of the Puntland military, the frontline soldiers have indicated a possibility of pushing further, as they target some of the remaining strategic caves within the cast lands of the state.

“Not a single meter of Puntland’s land will be allowed to be occupied by terrorists. The counter-terrorism operations will continue, and we will not stop until the last one is either eliminated or surrenders," said Gen. Aden Abdi Hashi, the man leading the war.

Analysts beluga that based on successive military victories over the past eight weeks, the chances of Somalia’s Puntland forces defeating ISIS militants are high. The troops seized Sheebaab, a fortified base believed to have been the hideout of Abdulkadir Mumin, the global leader of the group.

During the operation, a castle-like underground tunnel was discovered, indicating a possibility of having housed senior leaders before airstrikes displaced them. Commanders believe there is one, perhaps two more major bases left in the strategic Togjaceel valley.

If the remaining areas are seized, officials say, then this would mean that the remaining commanders have either surrendered or have been killed. If the group manages to spread smaller units across the vast mountainous area it may take them longer to hunt all of them down and end militancy in Cal-Miskaat, officials noted.

The US Africa Command and the United Arab Emirates military have been instrumental in hunting down the militants who have lost strategic caves in the state. The number of ISIS militants had risen exponentially, leading to concerns from Somalia’s international partners.

An airstrike in the Miiraale area of the Calmiskaad Mountains has killed 25 members of ISIS who were attempting to regroup. The precision strike was conducted by the United Arab Emirates, an ally of Puntland, dealing a significant blow to the extremist group’s efforts in the area.

GAROWE ONLINE