BOSASO, (HAN) — Heavy fighting has erupted between Somalia’s Puntland State security forces and ISIS-linked militants in the Walisoor Valley of the Bari region, resulting in casualties on both sides, according to local security sources.
Officials said the Puntland Defense Forces launched a direct assault on the militants, killing several and seizing control of the area where the clashes took place.
While the exact number of casualties has yet to be independently verified, reports describe the confrontation as one of the fiercest in recent weeks, as Puntland intensifies its counterterrorism campaign in the region.
Among those killed was Elder Abdi Hayaan, a respected community leader who had recently joined local efforts in support of Puntland forces. Two others were reported injured, according to security officials.
Puntland authorities said the operation was part of the third phase of the ongoing military campaign to eliminate ISIS remnants entrenched in the rugged Bari Mountains, where the group has maintained bases and hideouts for several years.
Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eradicating ISIS cells in the region and called for greater national and international support to strengthen counterterrorism operations and ensure lasting stability in the area.
