BOSASO, Somalia — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni met a U.S. military delegation led by Maj. Gen. Claude Tudor of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Bosaso, where the two sides agreed to expand security cooperation focused on counterterrorism operations and maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The meeting, attended by Puntland ministers, military commanders and senior advisers, concluded with the signing of an agreement allowing the United States to expand its military facility in Bosaso to support counterterrorism missions and strengthen maritime security operations in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.
According to the Puntland presidency, the expanded cooperation aims to improve coordination against militant groups, including the Islamic State’s Somalia affiliate and Al-Shabaab, both of which maintain a presence in parts of northern and southern Somalia. Bosaso has become an important logistical hub for regional security operations because of its strategic location overlooking the Gulf of Aden.
The agreement comes as Puntland security forces continue operations against Islamic State militants in the Bari region, where authorities say they have captured a series of militant strongholds in recent months. The United States has provided intelligence, training and periodic air support to Somali partners as part of its broader counterterrorism strategy in the Horn of Africa.
The announcement also follows renewed efforts by Washington to deepen security cooperation with Somali partners as concerns grow over persistent militant threats and the financial uncertainty facing the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which continues to assist Somali security forces during the country’s security transition.
Puntland said it remains committed to working with international partners to combat terrorism and safeguard stability in Puntland, Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.
