Somalia: Puntland forces shall defeat ISIS militants - army officer

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A security officer in Somalia says that Puntland forces shall eventually defeat ISIS militants, following the activation of Operation Hilaac which means Lightning in the mountains of Al-Miskaad in the Bari region.

The forces have also dislodged the militants from the Turmasaale area, a strategic location within the Bari region, where the militants have been hiding and training. Heavy clashes were reported on the battlefield for the last two weeks.

On Thursday, Said Abdullahi Deni, the president of Puntland state announced the start of the second phase of the war on ISIS after the forces made significant gains in the first phase, including the liberation of dozens of areas and capturing key bases.

And Brigadier General Ahmed Abdullahi Sheikh, a former senior commander within the Somali army, said losing Turmasaale was a blow for IS as it was the militants’ main supply route. However, he notes both sides suffered casualties.

“This is where they were coordinating both attacks — mainly drone-deployed ammunition, IEDs, attacking the Puntland forces — but also getting their resupply, whether it's rations or whatever. So it was a strategic achievement by the Puntland forces,” he said.

“There has been almost daily fighting. The Puntland forces have suffered casualties, mainly from IEDs, which is the weapon of choice of terrorism everywhere,” he said. “But they have been progressing very well for the past three weeks. And they have captured several important locations. The regional forces so far have the upper hand for sure," he told VOA.

The local troops are now targeting Dhaadaar village, the main base of the ISIS militants. He said he believes Puntland forces can achieve a military victory against IS before Ramadan, which starts in four weeks.

He said the presence of foreign fighters in the Islamic State camps gives both locals and Puntland forces extra motivation. The ISIS militants have been targeting security forces in the Bari region for some time.

“If you capture their bases and camps and strategic headquarters, that for me will be the measurement of victory,” he added.

IS-Somalia came into being after a section of Al-Shabaab fighters defected and pledged allegiance to the group’s then-leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The group remained small for years but appealed to foreign fighters who came to Somalia, mainly from the Middle East and from other parts of East Africa.

Some U.S. officials also believe that IS Somalia’s leader, Abdulkadir Mumin, is also the emir of IS Global. Others disagree but there is consensus that Mumin is nonetheless a pivotal figure, with a recent United Nations report naming him as the group’s directorate of provinces, "placing him in a leadership role over [IS] affiliates in Africa."

Although the United States army supports the fight against terrorism in Somalia, it hasn't given much input in Puntland’s quest to defeat ISIS. Instead, the US Africa Command works closely with Danab Special Forces of the Somali army and has often targeted Al-Shabaab militants.

GAROWE ONLINE