Wednesday March 26, 2025

Gen. Faadhigo, spokesperson for Puntland’s counterterrorism operations, speaks to the media during a field briefing

Garowe (HOL)  — ISIS militants in Somalia are shifting their tactics—relying on night ambushes and roadside bombs—after suffering battlefield defeats in the Al Miskaad mountains, Puntland security officials said.

Seven ISIS fighters were recently killed in clashes with Puntland forces, including two operatives responsible for planting landmines, said Gen. Faadhigo, spokesperson for the region’s counterterrorism operation.

According to Faadhigo, the group has adopted nighttime operations using night-vision goggles and long-range sniper rifles to target government troops from concealed positions.

“They hide in mountain caves and wait for the cover of darkness to attack,” he said. “Their use of landmines overnight is aimed at disrupting our operations and slowing our advance.”

The shift comes after a series of coordinated offensives by Puntland forces targeting ISIS strongholds in the Al Miskaad range, a rugged area in Somalia’s northeastern Bari region where the group has long maintained a foothold.

In addition to the deaths, security forces recovered large quantities of food supplies during the raids, believed to be stockpiled by ISIS fighters.

The group split from al-Shabaab in 2015 and remains significantly smaller but has proven resilient in parts of northeastern Somalia. It has carried out targeted assassinations, bombings, and ambushes on both security forces and civilians.

Puntland officials say sustained pressure has weakened the group’s operational capacity, though they remain cautious of further tactical shifts by the militants.