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| Africa Horn |
| Somalia: ISIS fighters lose more ground in Puntland offensive |
| 2025-07-31 |
| [Garowe] Operation Lightning continues to yield positive results within the Cal-Miskaad mountains in Puntland ...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion... , the counterterrorism centre reports, following concerted efforts by the regional troops to drive the fighters away from the state. According to the counterterrorism center, Puntland troops discovered a training cave for the fighters within Lugta Garared and Sul Sul, located just inside the Calmiskaad mountains in the Bari region, as the operation entered the final phase. The operation led to the discovery of an Arabic curriculum projector and an identity card belonging to a Tanzanian terrorist. ISIS-Somalia gunnies have recruited fighters from around East Africa, with some also coming from Æthiopia and Morocco. "Our forces uncovered an ISIS terrorist training cave between Lugta Garared and Sul Sul in the Calmiskat mountains. Seized: Arabic curriculum, projector, Tanzanian terrorist ID, and more. Final clearance ops ongoing to eliminate remaining fighters and fleeing leaders," the centre said. The Calmiskaad mountains are the main training base for the Death Eaters, but so far, many caves have been destroyed, pushing the Elsewhere, Puntland troops seized a vehicle carrying food items, with two men driving it also arrested in the process. The vehicle was captured near Bosaso, headed to Calmiskaad mountains, the counterterrorism centre further said. "We are investigating a vehicle carrying food supplies and two men driving it, captured by our forces while transporting food from Bosaso," read the statement. "As the anti-ISIS operations in Calmiskat continue, no supplies will pass through without government notification." Puntland has been fighting alongside the US Africa Command and the United Arab Emirates force, who help in aerial surveillance. But the input of the federal government of Somalia has been questioned, with Mogadishu accused of failing to give support to the Puntland forces. Related: Operation Lightning: 2025-07-19 Ethiopia Arrests 82 Suspected ISIS Militants in Major Anti-Terror Operation Operation Lightning: 2025-06-21 Cleaning out Puntland’s Cal-Miskaad mountains: Puntland forces capture final hideouts of ISIS militants in Bari region Operation Lightning: 2025-05-21 Puntland Launches Major Offensive Against ISIS in Cal-Miskaad Mountains |
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