MOGADISHU, Somalia – U.S. airstrikes in Somalia’s Golis Mountains are delivering a major blow to ISIS’s local affiliate, forcing its leadership to “remain underground,” the top U.S. military commander in Africa said Tuesday.
General Dagvin Anderson made the comments during a virtual press briefing, answering a question from Arlaadi Media Network’s Abdirahman Jeylani Mohamed. He described the strikes as “critical support” for Somali and regional forces in the fight against terror.
“In Puntland, we helped support our partner forces in an offensive up into the Golis Mountains against Daesh,” Anderson said. “It’s been largely successful. The area ISIS has been able to operate in has collapsed.”
Anderson, who visited Puntland last November, said the impact goes beyond the airstrikes themselves. “These strikes have allowed our partners to stay engaged, shrink the territory held by ISIS, and, most importantly, remain in the Golis Mountains applying continued pressure—keeping ISIS and its leadership underground,” he said.
The AFRICOM chief also warned of a growing regional threat. “We’re seeing the Houthi threat—smuggling weapons into Somalia, supporting Al-Shabaab, and increased cooperation among these groups. We’re helping our partners protect their borders, secure sea lanes, and reduce threats across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,” Anderson explained.
ISIS-Somalia, while smaller than al-Shabab, has been a persistent threat in Puntland, exploiting the rugged terrain to evade security forces and attack civilians. U.S. support—combining precision airstrikes, intelligence, and training—is aimed at empowering local forces to hold territory and fight back against these extremist networks.
“While the strikes are important, they’re part of a larger effort to address the greater threat in the region,” Anderson said, underlining the U.S. commitment to both counterterrorism and regional security.
Nevertheless, the Golis Mountains operation marks one of the most significant efforts in recent months to push ISIS-Somalia out of its strongholds and strengthen local forces in a region long plagued by militant activity.
