Puntland is preparing to launch a fresh military offensive against Al-Shabaab militants in the Al Madow Mountains of Sanaag region, according to the Speaker of the Puntland Parliament, Abdirizak Ahmed Said.
During a visit to the region, Speaker Said accused the group of committing atrocities against local residents, including killings, looting, and the forced displacement of civilians. “The Al Madow campaign will follow the conclusion of the ongoing Al Miskat operations against ISIS. Our aim is to eliminate Al-Shabaab, whose violence against the local population has increased,” he said.
The announcement comes as Puntland begins mobilising forces for the planned operation. The Al Miskat offensive, launched in late 2024, has reportedly dealt significant blows to ISIS, destroying the majority of its bases in the Bari region. The government now appears poised to replicate that success in Sanaag against Al-Shabaab.
