Puntland Forces have killed at least twenty-four Abnaa Ul Calipha popularly known as Islamic State Somalia (ISS) in a series of operations over the Easter weekend. The CT operations were triggered by intelligence about the creation of new bases in the Al-Miskaat Mountains near the Balidhidin district in Bari Province.
According to intelligence, the destroyed bases were being used by ISS to store heavy ammunition and bomb-making materials that are likely to be used by the group to both train and make IEDs and car bombs.
Puntland has been fighting the group alongside al Shabaab and as such the dismantling of the new bases puts a dampener in the group’s efforts to expand across the Puntland. Despite the group being less active than their Al Shabaab counterparts, the recent designations of the ISIS in DRC and Mozambique could trigger attacks by the group which has been amercing fighters and weapons in the past year.
