The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced the conclusion of a two-week operation that ended on August 23, 2025, which it conducted inside Puntland.
AFRICOM said that the strikes targeted ISIS fighters in the Al-Aqsa Mountains of the Bari region, specifically in the Baallade stream.
The operations were specifically directed at areas where ISIS leaders were hiding.
AFRICOM commander, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, described the strikes as a demonstration of the US commitment to ensuring the safety of the American people and its allies.
AFRICOM and the Federal Government of Somalia said they would continue to assess the results of the operation. However, further details were not provided, citing security concerns.
According to the Stars and Stripes newspaper, the US confirmed that it had carried out more than 50 airstrikes in Somalia since the beginning of 2025—the highest number of such operations conducted in Somalia in a single year.
A study published by the West Point CTC suggests that the increase in airstrikes by 2025 is part of a broader U.S. policy that recognizes ISIS-Somalia as a real threat to the United States; leading to increased operations that are not solely focused on Somalia.
