Puntland Forces Capture Key ISIS Stronghold in Cal-Miskaad Mountains

BOSASO, Somalia – Puntland Counter-Terrorism Forces have seized Turmasaale, a strategic stronghold used by ISIS militants in the Cal-Miskaad mountain range. The operation followed intense clashes over the past two days, according to a senior officer involved in the campaign.

Turmasaale, located on the outskirts of Toga Jaceel in the Cal-Miskaad range, served as one of the largest bases for the militants. The officer told Garowe Online that the group has been fleeing as Puntland forces advance, adding that the troops are relentlessly pursuing the remaining fighters.

Since the operation began, Puntland forces claim to have liberated over 260 kilometers of territory previously controlled directly or indirectly by ISIS. The captured areas reportedly included more than 100 hideouts, consisting of food storage facilities, ammunition depots, makeshift medical stations, and training camps.

The officer stated that troops are being stationed in liberated areas to secure them, with the Puntland government planning to provide essential services for residents in those areas.

“Officers and soldiers are being injured—it’s a battlefield,” the officer remarked when asked about casualties from today’s clashes.

In a final message, the officer urged Puntland citizens and all Somalis to unite against international terrorist groups that have infiltrated Somalia.

The ongoing campaign in the Cal-Miskaad mountains has highlighted the presence of foreign fighters among the militants, with security experts suggesting that many hail from Arab countries, parts of Africa, and other regions. Analysts believe the ISIS faction in Somalia operates as part of the broader IS network, which originated in Syria and Iraq.

The group relies on guerrilla tactics, extortion, and illicit trade to fund its operations and continues to use remote areas like Cal-Miskaad as sanctuaries for planning and regrouping.

GAROWE ONLINE