Puntland Ramps Up Offensive to Wipe Out ISIS, Al-Shabaab Militants

GOOBJOOG NEWS | GAROWE: Puntland authorities have stepped up a sweeping counterterrorism campaign in Somalia’s northeast, with President Said Abdullahi Deni vowing to crush Islamic State and Al-Shabaab fighters still entrenched in the rugged Bari region.

Security forces under Operation Hilaac have intensified ground and air assaults in the Cal-Miskaad and Cal-Madow mountain ranges, areas long used by militants as safe havens. Deni said the offensive has already dismantled several hideouts and restored calm to previously unstable zones.

“The terrain is extremely difficult, even vehicles cannot reach some areas,” the president told reporters. “But our forces are making real progress, and our determination remains firm: these groups will be eliminated.”

Officials say Puntland’s campaign, supported by aerial operations from international partners including the United States and the United Arab Emirates, has weakened the militants’ capacity to regroup or expand into urban centers.

Deni praised the “resilience and courage” of local troops and ordered increased vigilance in towns and trading hubs to block extremist infiltration.

“Peace and stability for our people is non-negotiable,” he said. “We will not stop until every last threat is removed.”

The semi-autonomous Puntland region has led some of Somalia’s most sustained operations against both ISIS affiliates and Al-Shabaab networks, which have sought to extend their reach into the country’s northeast.