GAROWE, Somalia, Oct 28, 2025 — The United States military said Tuesday it carried out two airstrikes against ISIS-Somalia militants in the rugged Al Miskaad mountain range of Puntland’s Bari region, a remote stronghold for the jihadist faction in northeastern Somalia.
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strikes took place on October 24 and 26 in the Al Miskaad mountains, around 85 kilometres (53 miles) southeast of Bosaso, a key port city along the Gulf of Aden.
“AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade ISIS-Somalia’s ability to threaten the US homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad,” the command said in a statement. It gave no casualty figures, citing operational security, and said civilian harm assessments have been suspended since April.
Regional security officials in Puntland confirmed the operations, saying local forces had intensified efforts against ISIS cells in the mountainous region, working closely with US counterparts on intelligence and logistics.
ISIS-Somalia, which split from al-Shabaab nearly a decade ago, has maintained a presence in Puntland’s Golis mountain range, using caves and valleys as hideouts to regroup and train fighters. Despite repeated operations, the group continues to mount small-scale ambushes and extortion activities in remote areas.
Puntland authorities have recently claimed progress against ISIS-Somalia, saying the group has been largely weakened, though residents report sporadic clashes continuing in the Al Miskaad area.
ISIS-Somalia first emerged in 2015 after a faction within al-Shabaab defected and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. It has since remained limited in size but persistent, operating mainly in the country’s north.
The latest strikes underscore Washington’s renewed focus on Puntland, where US and Somali forces have increased joint operations this year. AFRICOM has also continued its air campaign in support of the Mogadishu-based federal government’s offensive against al-Shabaab in central and southern Somalia.
According to figures compiled by Antiwar.com, the two new strikes bring the total number of US airstrikes in Somalia this year to 86, already surpassing previous annual records. The Trump administration set the prior record in 2019 with 63 strikes, while President Biden authorised 51 during his four-year term.
