8/10/2025
Today from Hiiraan Online:  _
advertisements
Google
Puntland captures foreign ISIS fighters fleeing Cal-Miskaad mountains
619 Shares
    FacebookFacebook messengerTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInTelegramEmail


    Friday August 1, 2025


    Two foreign nationals suspected of belonging to ISIS-Somalia are seen in custody after being captured by Puntland security forces near Kalabayr in the Bari region on August 1, 2025. The arrests followed a military offensive targeting militant hideouts in the Cal-Miskaad Mountains. (Photo: Puntland Security Forces/Handout)


    Mogadishu (HOL) — Puntland security forces have arrested two foreign ISIS fighters who fled into the mountainous Kalabayr area following a major military offensive targeting militant strongholds in northeastern Somalia.

    The suspects were apprehended Thursday night in the rugged terrain of the Bari region after retreating from the Cal-Miskaad Mountains, where Puntland forces have recently dismantled several ISIS hideouts as part of an ongoing counterterrorism campaign.

    Military officials said the detainees will be transferred to the operation’s main command center in Bosaso for further interrogation. The men are expected to be prosecuted by the Puntland Military Court, which handles terrorism-related cases across the state.

    The Cal-Miskaad offensive is part of a broader effort by Puntland’s regional government to eliminate ISIS-Somalia fighters who have entrenched themselves in remote mountain ranges since breaking away from al-Shabaab in 2015. Although significantly smaller than al-Shabaab, ISIS-Somalia has maintained a foothold in the region through targeted assassinations, extortion, and propaganda operations.

    Puntland’s security forces, based in Garowe, have scaled up operations in recent months in coordination with local communities. Commanders say improved intelligence and increased ground patrols have led to key arrests and the disruption of supply routes used by militant groups.

    The arrests underscore the transnational dimension of Somalia’s extremist threat. Puntland officials have long warned that the region’s harsh terrain attracts foreign fighters seeking to evade detection or regroup following battlefield losses in southern and central Somalia.

    The Cal-Miskaad range—stretching across the Bari highlands—has served as a natural fortress for militants due to its inaccessibility and complex topography. Puntland leaders have pledged to continue their operations until the last militant networks are dismantled.

     





    Click here