(06 June 2025) BOSASO (Halqabsi News) – Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni is expected to officially declare the defeat of ISIS militants in the rugged Almiskaad mountains and announce the launch of a new military campaign targeting Al-Shabaab strongholds in the Calmadow range.
The anticipated address, set for Saturday in Bosaso following Eid prayers, will focus on security, regional stability, and Puntland’s counter-terrorism efforts. According to sources close to the presidency, President Deni will confirm the conclusion of the third and final phase of Operation Lightning (Hillaac), a months-long offensive against ISIS remnants in northern Bari.
Security commanders leading the Almiskaad campaign have reported that the group has been “effectively neutralised,” with only a few scattered fugitives now in hiding. The campaign, they said, dismantled key ISIS supply lines and command posts.
Attention will now shift to a new phase dubbed Operation Almadow, also referred to as ONKOD, aimed at clearing Al-Shabaab cells embedded in the forested mountain ranges of Sanaag and eastern Puntland. Officials suggest the operation will involve expanded regional coordination and seek to replicate the momentum built during the Almiskaad offensives.
President Deni is also expected to use the speech to comment on national political developments, including Puntland’s position regarding proposed federal dialogues and recent tensions between state and federal authorities.
Halqabsi News
