Puntland has withdrawn most of its forces from the Calmiskaad mountains in Bari region, after nearly a year of fighting there against the Islamic State group.
The forces were evacuated this morning from Turmasaale, one of the most powerful ISIS strongholds, which was liberated early last year.
Puntland security forces said that ISIS’s power in Calmiskaad had been significantly weakened, noting that a small number of renegade groups remained there, hiding in the Baallade stream.
They added that a mobile battalion called “Afmeer” had been formed, which was intended to operate continuously in Calmiskaad, to eliminate the remnants of ISIS that still exist in the area.
The forces withdrawn from Calmiskaad are being prepared to participate in the next operation in Unkad, which will be carried out in the Calmadow mountains, where members of the Al-Shabaab group are located.
Puntland has also established a military command in the Sanaag region, where the official launch of Operation Calmadow is expected to be announced.
Although ISIS has been eliminated from most of the Somali region, they are still causing problems for the nomadic people, taking their livestock to feed them, as the group is in a state of isolation.
Meanwhile, ISIS carried out a bomb attack in the Turmasaale area a few days ago, causing no casualties, which the troops withdrew from this morning. The bomb was a landmine, intended to target the troops.
