Hornpost
Puntland Displays Captured Foreign ISIS Militants as Calmiskaad Operation Nears Conclusion.
Puntland Forces, Backed by US and UAE, Deal Major Blow to ISIS in Calmiskaad
Garowe (Horn post) The Puntland regional government has publicly displayed a number of foreign ISIS militants captured during the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the Calmiskaad mountain range, underscoring what officials describe as major gains against the extremist group.
According to Puntland authorities, the detained fighters are foreign nationals originating from several countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Ethiopia, Syria, and Tanzania. The presentation of the prisoners was intended to demonstrate the transnational nature of ISIS networks operating in Somalia and the scale of foreign involvement in the insurgency.
Puntland security officials stated that the counter-terrorism campaign, aimed at eradicating ISIS strongholds in the rugged Calmiskaad area, has been carried out by Puntland forces with direct support from international partners, notably the United Arab Emirates and the United States. They said the operation has successfully dismantled key ISIS positions and significantly weakened the group’s operational capabilities in the region.
“The Calmiskaad operation is now entering its final phase,” Puntland officials said, adding that remaining pockets of resistance are being systematically cleared as security forces consolidate control over previously militant-held terrain.
Over the past year, Puntland security forces have been engaged in sustained fighting against ISIS militants entrenched in the Golis Mountains, an area long considered one of the group’s main hideouts. The campaign has been supported by U.S. airstrikes, which officials say played a crucial role in targeting militant leadership, supply routes, and fortified positions.
Puntland authorities emphasized that the operation forms part of a broader strategy to eliminate extremist threats, restore security, and prevent Somalia’s northern regions from being used as a base for international terrorism. They reiterated their commitment to continuing cooperation with international partners until ISIS is fully neutralized in Puntland.
The operation in Calmiskaad is widely seen as one of the most significant counter-ISIS efforts undertaken by Puntland in recent years, with officials portraying the capture of foreign fighters as clear evidence of progress on the battlefield and a warning to transnational extremist networks operating in the Horn of Africa.
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Prepared by:
Horn Post Staff Reporter
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