U.S. Airstrike Targets Daesh Leadership in Puntland Cave Hideout
A U.S. military airstrike targeted key members of the Daesh Khawarij group last night in a remote cave complex located in the Golis and Ali Madow Mountains of Puntland, Somalia. The operation was reportedly aimed at high-ranking leaders and operatives responsible for the group’s financial, security, and military activities.
Among those believed to have been present at the time of the strike were:
• Abdiqadir Muumin – Overall leader of Daesh in Somalia.
• Salahuddin Al-Badri – Deputy leader, reportedly from the Arabian Peninsula.
• Abdi Samad – Head of the Finance Department (Darood/Warsangeli clan).
• Muumin Salah – Head of Security (Dhulbahante clan).
• Sheikh Mustafa Nur – Head of Preaching and Ideological Propagation (Rahaweyn clan).
• Ikram – Head of Health (Isaaq clan).
• Fazul Mula – Head of Explosives, believed to be from Bahrain.
• Jabril Yusuf – Head of the Media Department (Somalia).
The Daesh faction, which boasts approximately 3,200 members, includes significant numbers of foreign fighters, with 312 Tanzanians, 512 Ethiopians (Oromo), and 64 Ethiopians (Amhara) among its ranks. The group had been planning to expand its operations in Somalia in 2025, with a focus on financial and security activities in the Benadir region.
Local sources have yet to confirm the extent of casualties or whether any of the group’s top leaders survived the strike. The U.S. military and Somali government have not released an official statement, but intelligence reports suggest this was a targeted attempt to disrupt Daesh’s operational command in the region.
This airstrike marks a significant escalation in counterterrorism efforts in Somalia, as authorities continue their crackdown on extremist groups operating in the country.
Further updates to follow as more information becomes available.
You can read ASA Situation Report™ from 1st February about the Daesh Khawarij group in more details.
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