Garowe – In a significant escalation of counter-terrorism efforts, U.S. Special Operations Forces launched a joint military operation with Puntland security units, targeting a fortified ISIS hideout in Somalia’s Balade Valley.
The operation, which took place on Wednesday, saw dozens of U.S. personnel inserted into the remote area via MH-60 helicopters. Air support was provided by MQ-9 Reaper drones, which executed precision strikes on a militant compound in the Habarbakuuje and Mareero sub-districts. Intelligence assessments suggested the base housed 10 to 15 ISIS operatives.
The assault precipitated a prolonged and intense firefight, lasting several hours, as joint forces engaged militants entrenched in a well-defended position. The hideout was believed to harbor foreign fighters from Syria, Turkey, and Ethiopia.
Initial battlefield assessments confirm the operation resulted in several key militant casualties, including a senior ISIS commander and his aides. Total estimated fatalities range between five and ten. Furthermore, the joint forces successfully destroyed a weapons cache and mining equipment, critically disrupting the group’s illicit gold mining operations—a primary source of financing for its activities in the region.
The Puntland government has reiterated its strategic objective to eradicate the ISIS footprint in its territory by the end of 2025.
This operation underscores the sustained partnership between the United States and Puntland, which has combined targeted airstrikes and intelligence support to degrade militant capabilities in the challenging mountainous terrain, forcing their retreat into increasingly isolated enclaves.
