U.S. warplanes unleashed heavy airstrikes late last night on Islamic State hideouts along the Baallade stream in Puntland, intensifying a campaign aimed at flushing out militants dug deep into the rugged terrain. Residents near Bosaso, Puntland’s commercial capital, reported hearing hours of explosions as American aircraft pounded the Maraagade area, where Puntland forces have been struggling to dislodge fighters.
Military sources confirmed that additional strikes were carried out on suspected ISIS positions in the nearby Biyo Kulule stream, after Puntland intelligence reported new movements of militants seeking refuge there. The precision bombardment marks one of the most significant escalations in U.S. involvement in Puntland’s counter-ISIS operations this year.
The strikes follow a bloody confrontation earlier this week in Maraagade, where Puntland troops suffered heavy casualties during a failed push into a network of militant-controlled caves. Officials said the geography—dense thickets, steep cliffs, and concealed tunnels—has made direct assault costly and precarious.
President Said Abdullahi Deni has reportedly ordered Puntland forces to hold their positions for now, awaiting further U.S. airstrikes to neutralize the underground hideouts before risking more lives. “The plan is to let the strikes do the heavy work,” a security source familiar with the deliberations said. “Once the caves are destroyed, clearing operations will resume.”
The latest U.S. intervention underscores Washington’s growing reliance on airpower to shore up local partners against resilient militant enclaves in northern Somalia. ISIS fighters in Puntland, though smaller in number compared to al-Shabaab, have entrenched themselves in remote hideouts that are difficult to penetrate by ground forces.
For Puntland, the campaign carries high stakes. Securing Baallade and its surrounding streams is critical to preventing ISIS from regrouping and threatening Bosaso, a city whose port is vital to both Puntland’s economy and broader regional trade.
