The ISIS turbans, mostly foreigners, had established more permanent bases in Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
state, with the ultimate goal being destabilization of the northern state of Somalia — the most stable federal state of the five regions.
According to the Puntland counterterrorism command center, the Monday night
...KABOOM!...
s targeted the bases deep in the caves of Cal-Miskaad mountains where the group has lost large swathes of territories in recent weeks.
"An airstrike has just taken place in the Miiraale Valley, within the Calmiskaad mountain range, targeting fleeing ISIS Death Eaters who were regrouping. The strike was carried out by Puntland’s allies from UAE," the command said.
However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the command center, which has been giving regular updates on Operation Lightning, did not mention if there were any casualties. The strike came barely a day after the Puntland forces seized a sniper training camp used by ISIS in the Dibi-Ganuun area of al-Miskad.
Several ISIS snuffies have been killed in the last two months with dozens getting arrested by the local forces as the operation nears the end. Already, the Puntland forces have destroyed some of the hideouts believed to have been hosting Abdulkadir Mumin, the global leader of the group.
"As long as a foreign invader lives on our land, we must be ready to sacrifice our lives to defend our country. We carry weapons and fight to eliminate the foreign Death Eaters who have invaded," said Second Lieutenant Jaamac Cumar, an officer with the Puntland forces.
The entry of the UAE airwing is expected to boost the Puntland command and deal a further blow to the ISIS terrorist organization. Also in the aerial surveillance team are the US Africa Command forces, who work jointly with the Puntland forces.