Terrorist group ramps up drone attacks, targeting Puntland forces with night-vision capabilities.
ISIS in Puntland has escalated its drone warfare, using sophisticated aerial weapons to strike military bases, supply convoys, and frontline troops. Intelligence sources confirm that some of the drones deployed in the Calmiskaad Mountains cost over $9,000 and are equipped with thermal imaging, allowing them to operate effectively at night.
These drones are not just for surveillance—ISIS has weaponized them. Some models drop up to four explosives per mission, while cheaper self-destructive versions target military vehicles and groups of soldiers. The result: Puntland security forces find themselves vulnerable to an airborne enemy they cannot easily counter.
Abdiqani Muse Warsame, a Puntland soldier recovering from a drone attack, described the grim reality. “We can only target the weapons we carry,” he said, highlighting the asymmetry of this new battlefield.
While drone warfare is common among ISIS factions in Syria and Iraq, its expansion into Puntland marks a dangerous shift in tactics. So far, Puntland’s government has yet to deploy an effective counter-drone strategy, leaving troops and supply lines increasingly exposed. If authorities do not act swiftly, ISIS will continue to evolve, transforming Puntland into another theater of high-tech insurgency.
