Tuesday August 5, 2025
FILE - Captain Mahmoud Jama Leeho, commander of the 2nd Commando Battalion of Puntland’s Maritime Police Force (PMPF), is seen during a previous deployment in the Al Miskaad mountains. He was killed on August 5, 2025, in a roadside bombing attributed to ISIS militants in Qandala district.
Bossaso (HOL) — A senior commander in Puntland’s elite security force was killed Tuesday when an improvised explosive device struck his convoy in the Al Miskaad mountains, a known hotspot for ISIS activity in northeastern Somalia.
Captain Mahmoud Jama Leeho, commander of the Puntland Maritime Police Force’s (PMPF) 2nd Commando Battalion, and fellow officer Said Mahmoud Mohamed, known as Jiqda, were killed while on patrol in the Dasaan area of Qandala district, Puntland officials confirmed.
Security sources said the roadside bomb was likely planted by ISIS fighters, who remain active in the mountainous Bari region despite years of counterterrorism operations. The officers were conducting a security sweep as part of an ongoing campaign to dislodge militant factions entrenched in the area.
Leeho, a veteran of numerous frontline operations, had previously survived injuries sustained in battles in Dharjaale and Haraaryo. His death marks a significant loss for Puntland’s security apparatus. He was also the brother of the late Colonel Nur Jama Leexo, another senior commander killed in combat against ISIS.
The PMPF released a statement following the attack, pledging to continue operations against the group. “These losses only strengthen our resolve to eliminate terrorism from Puntland,” the statement read.
The deaths come as Puntland prepares a renewed offensive against ISIS militants concentrated in two strongholds, Baallade Valley and the Xabley mountain range, where top leaders are believed to be hiding.
ISIS first emerged in Somalia in 2015 and has maintained a limited but persistent presence in the northeastern region. Although weakened by internal divisions and repeated offensives, the group continues to carry out ambushes, assassinations, and bombings targeting security forces and local officials.