Thread by @Milatrud11

Thread: Aug 1,2024-Mar 31,2025 on IS Somalia (ISS) in Puntland: threadreaderapp.com/thread/1819129…

New Thread starting Apr 21, 2025:
1) Puntland Army Kills 40 Militants in Big Blow to ISIS in Somalia garoweonline.com/en/news/somali… x.com/Milatrud11/sta…

2) Islamic State (ISIS): Dozens Of Puntland Security Forces Killed In Bloody Confrontation With Fighters From Islamic State Somalia Province ISS,ISmemri.org/jttm/islamic-s…

3)The UAE has,in the first quarter of 2025, significantly increased its CT ops in Somalia, particularly through airstrikes targeting Al-Shabaab and Islamic State (IS,ISS),reflecting a broader strategy to enhance its regional influence and security presence.greydynamics.com/uae-airstrikes…

4) Somalia:
Heavy fighting betw 2 groups within the Islamic State (ISIS/IS) is reported to have broken out Apr 27,2025 in the CalMiskad Mountains,Bari region of Puntland:
a faction of ISS fighters attempted to surrender to Puntland forces amid Hilaac op allafrica.com/stories/202504…

5) Somalia: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia in the Miraale Region,part of the Bari region,Puntland on May 3, 2025.

No details d/t ongoing operations
ISS,ISafricom.mil/pressrelease/3…

6) Somalia:US Confirms Airstrike On IS Fighters in Puntland's Cal Miskaad Mountains,Bari Region on May 11,2025:
In an official statement,AFRICOM revealed that the precision strike targeted Daacish positions approximately 60 kilometers south of Qandala ISSallafrica.com/stories/202505…

7) Somalia: Puntland Launches Major Offensive Against ISIS in Cal-Miskaad Mountains, Bari Region:
Among those killed in the recent fighting is Ahmed Muse Said, a senior ISS figure responsible for coordinating the arrival of foreign fighters into Somalia, ISallafrica.com/stories/202505…

8)Somalia:
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS/IS-Somalia (ISS) 75 km south of Bassaso, Puntland on May 31, 2025.africom.mil/pressrelease/3…

9)Somalia:
Puntland's elite security forces killed 35+ ISIS/ISS militants, incl many foreign fighters, during a major military operation in the mountainous rural areas between Miraale and Balade in Bari region on Jun 3,2025 allafrica.com/stories/202506…

9b)The Balade Valley, located near the port city of Bosaso, is now believed to serve as a key regrouping point for IS Somalia,
which has come under intense aerial(US;UAE)and ground assaults in recent months.

Puntland forces captured the ISIS/ISS command center in Miraale Valley

10)Somalia: Puntland and its intl partners(US,UAE) have degraded ISS support zones and leadership networks in the Cal Miskaad mountains.
ISS generates $100,000s per month for regional IS financing efforts through racketeering networks in Bossaso
understandingwar.org/backgrounder/a…

10b)Puntland:
ISS maintains the ability to attack despite the offensive degrading its capacity:
20 attacks in Jan and Feb 2025.
8 in Mar and Apr.
An ISS suicide bomber detonated an unspecified explosive before ISS fighters engaged the PDF in Dasaan,Cal Miskaad Mountains,on May 2

11) )Somalia: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against ISIS/IS-Somalia (ISS) southeast of Bassaso, Puntland on Jun 4,2025.
africom.mil/pressrelease/3…

12) The Islamic State in Somalia’s Area of Operations:

ISS in Puntland:
ISS generates millions of dollars per year in extortion and illegal taxes to disperse funding and trainers around in Africa and elsewhere, incl to ISKP,ADF/ISCAP,ISM,IS Yemen.
criticalthreats.org/analysis/the-i…

13) Somalia: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS/IS-Somalia (ISS) southeast of Bassaso, Puntland on Jun 10,2025.

No details africom.mil/pressrelease/3…

14)Somalia: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS/IS-Somalia (ISS) southeast of Bassaso (Basaso), Puntland on Jun 12,2025.hstoday.us/featured/targe…

15)Somalia: The Puntland counter-terrorism forces have arrested a Turkish national fighting with IS /ISS in the Baalade valley,Bari region, Cal-Miskaad mountains, an ISS stronghold.

Operation Lightning against ISS started in Dec 2024. garoweonline.com/en/news/somali…

15)"According to my source,[Hassan Atar]was born in Jordan and obtained a Turkish passport.
He traveled to Somalia by boat through Yemen.
He was in the al-Miskaad Mountains with [ISS]for four years.
Furthermore, he planned to surrender to Puntland Forces.

16) "IS-Somal released a statement detailing the recent battles between the Miraale and Balaade valley, after IS-Somal withdrew from Miraale to lure Puntland forces deeper in the mountains()
24 Puntland soldiers were killed and 30 others injured." ISS

17)Somalia: Puntland forces claim IS Somalia (ISS/Abnaa ul-Calipha) leader Abdul Qadir Mumin has fled Puntland trackingterrorism.org/chatter/puntla…

18)Somalia: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia southeast of Bossaso, Puntland on Jun 13, 2025. ISSafricom.mil/pressrelease/3…

19)Somalia: "In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia on June 15, 2025.

The airstrike occurred southeast of Bossaso, Puntland," ISS,ISafricom.mil/pressrelease/3…

20)Somalia: In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia on June 28, 2025.

The airstrike occurred southeast of Bossaso, Puntland, IS,ISSafricom.mil/pressrelease/3…

21)Somalia: Puntland says key ISIS/IS leaders killed in offensive in Cal-Miskaad (Bari region), new phase underway:
The offensive,known as Operation Hilaac,entered its fourth phase this week after Puntland Counter-Terrorism Forces cleared ISIS fighters ISSgaroweonline.com/en/news/somali…

22) In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia on Jul 13, 2025.

The airstrike occurred southeast of Bossaso, Puntland, IS/ISSafricom.mil/pressrelease/3…

23)"Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlet Celebrates Reported End Of Puntland Forces' Campaign In Somalia:
'Caliphate Soldiers Likely To Retake Villages';
Al-Shabab Will Not Endure 'Hours Of Bombardment' "--($) ISS,IS,Shabaabmemri.org/jttm/pro-islam…

24)Somalia: US ground raid captures Islamic State leader in Puntland:
Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the finance emir for ISS, was the target of the raid.
Puntland officials state that he also oversaw the finances for the IS’s Al Karrar regional office,longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/…

24b)Puntland officials also announced that ISS finance emir Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf was captured alongside 2 others,presumably his bodyguards, near the rural settlement of Laag in Puntland’s Iskushuban District.
It`s far outside of the Cal Miskaad Mountains,the main hideout of ISS

24c)Puntland:
If it is true that Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf had a dual-hatted position as the finance chief for both ISS itself and the Al Karrar office,then his arrest,and the information gleaned from it,may have reverberations for the Islamic State across much of Africa and beyond

25)Why Trump Is Waging a Little War in Somalia [against IS Somalia/ISS in Puntland]:
Trump is aware of Somalia’s geopolitical importance and America’s tenuous influence there.
| William Bittner smallwarsjournal.com/2025/08/13/why…

26)Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the financial disruption of ISIS-Somalia for its financing of ISIS.
ISS serving as a primary revenue generator and funding hub for IS’s global networks and branches.rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/isis-s…

26b)IS-Somalia(ISS)
taxation,extortion of locals, biz,agriculture
money laundering
kidnapping-for-ransom
weapons trade
illicit maritime activities(piracy,illegal fishing)
recruitment,immigration,travel facilitation
donations,online fundraising
cash,mobile money,crypto transfers

27) Hunting for ISIS: Inside the Carves at Heart of Expanding Terror Network:
"Puntland in northern Somalia is the unlikely global headquarters of a resurgent Islamic State,according to the Somalis and US commanders."-text,pics,YT-video
| Alex Crawford ISnews.sky.com/story/hunting-…

27b)"Of the 600 fighters the forces have killed,only 5 have been Somalis.
The rest have been foreigners."M.A.Dhabancad, Puntland official
-passports for families from South Africa,ones from Germany,Saudi Arabia,Venezuela,Bahrain
-handfuls of IDs which show European faces

ISS
IS

27bb)Puntland:Moroccan prisoner Usman Bukukar Bin Fuad says he met the IS Somalia leader,Abdul Qadir Mumin, several times:
"He used to visit all the ISIS camps()"

It seems to lend credence to the belief that Mumin is still alive and operating – up until a few months ago, anyway

27bbb)Somalia:Moroccan prisoner Bin Fuad says he travelled over from Ethiopia with 6 Moroccans,before meeting an Algerian recruit.
Fellow IS militants in Cal Miskaad mountain stronghold,Puntland were from Tunisia,Libya,Tanzania,Kenya, Turkey,Argentina,Bangladesh,Sweden,Iraq etc.

28)Brant:"After weeks of intense airstrikes by the[US]on the Islamic State in the Balaade valley, Cal Miskaad mountains,US-backed Puntland forces have reached and taken control of the strategic Carabi well,Buur Gunburi,God-gudban, and the upper part of the Maraagane well."
ISS

@threadreaderapp Unroll,please.

ISS
Puntland