Fighting Back Against Extremism: The Battle Against IS in Somalia

Mon Mar 16 2026 16:56:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As soldiers in Somalia's Puntland region confront the threat posed by the Islamic State, they adapt their tactics to combat insurgents in the harsh terrain of the al-Miskad mountains. A glimpse into the resilience and struggles of local forces, and the impact of a globalized jihadist network.

In Somalia's remote al-Miskad mountains, the Puntland Defence Forces are determined to eradicate Islamic State militants who have gained a foothold in the region. Despite facing harsh conditions and the threat of further attacks, local soldiers, including women, continue to fight back against IS's influence after years of violence and oppression. The U.S. military has also supported these efforts, but the road to stability remains fraught with challenges.

In Somalia's remote al-Miskad mountains, a group of soldiers huddles around a small hand-held screen, tracking Islamic State group fighters on a drone feed.

A figure appears in the picture, moving through a valley. He has been to fetch water for his friends, says the drone operator. He is running and carrying something on his back, adds another soldier.

The man on the screen is near a cave, which the army believes is a hideout for 50 to 60 IS fighters.

The Puntland Defence Forces have about 500 soldiers stationed at this base in the north-east of Somalia. Ten years ago, the barren and inhospitable landscape was home to only a few nomadic communities, but that changed when IS established a foothold here, shifting its focus to Africa as its fighters were driven out of their strongholds in Syria and Iraq.

By April 2025, Gen Michael Langley, who was then the commander of United States Africa Command (Africom), told the US Congress that ISIS controls their global network from Somalia.

In recent years, the US has supported Somalia's fight against IS, repeatedly bombing insurgents hiding in Somali caves – in 2025, the Pentagon carried out 60 attacks on IS-Somalia.

Now, on a local level, IS's ability to stage attacks in Somalia has been degraded and it does not pose a significant threat to Puntland or Somalia today, says Tricia Bacon, director of the Policy Anti-Terrorism Hub at American University in Washington DC.

However, IS-Somalia still plays a critical role in terms of providing resources, support, and facilitation for other Islamic State affiliates, both in Africa and further afield, like Afghanistan, she explains.

IS-Somalia was established by a Somali national, Abdulqadir Mumin, who once lived in Sweden and the UK and held British citizenship. In 2015, he appeared alongside 17 men in a video pledging allegiance to IS and has since been active in shifting focus to training and financial networks for IS's propagation in the region, particularly after outmaneuvering al-Shabab forces in Puntland.

Local villagers recount the brutality that accompanied the rise of IS, instilling fear and harsh societal rules. But the fightback continues as Puntland forces strive to reclaim control over their territory, supported by international efforts aimed at dismantling the IS network.

Despite the challenges, including limited resources and ongoing skirmishes, soldiers remain resolute, vowing to continue their battle against insurgency and protect their communities from the dark legacy of extremism.