Commenting on the first IS Somalia drone strikes in Somalia, ACLED’s Senior East Africa Analyst, Dr.des. Jalale Getachew Birru said:
“Our January data recorded two successful Islamic State Somalia Province (IS Somalia) drone strikes on Puntland security forces and authorities reported that other drones were intercepted earlier in the month. This is the first time ACLED has recorded drones being used by IS Somalia. Considering that at least seven IEDs were also detonated in January by the group, the drone strikes are part of a surge in the use of remote devices last month by IS Somalia, to defend its stronghold at Cali Miskat Mountain and its adjacent areas from a new crackdown by Puntland government forces.”
President Trump ordered airstrikes in Puntland’s Golis Mountains, reportedly killing IS Somalia leaders. It is unclear who was killed due to these airstrikes. In May 2024, IS Somalia leader Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin survived a US airstrike in Puntland.
For more information, see the Somalia section of ACLED’s February 2025 Africa Regional Overview.
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) is an independent, impartial, international non-profit organization collecting data on violent conflict and protest in all countries and territories in the world.
