On Tuesday, 1 April 2025, five alleged ISIS-Somalia (Daesh) militants were killed in the Al-Miskaad mountains southeast of Bosasso in Puntland State, Somalia, in an airstrike declared by US Africa Command (AFRICOM) forces in collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia. No civilians were officially reported as injured or killed in the strikes.

In a press release, US AFRICOM stated that they had conducted a “collective self-defense airstrike” against ISIS-Somalia militants “at the request of the Federal Government of Somalia”, with the strikes occurring “southeast of Bosasso, Puntland, in northeastern Somalia.” Their initial assessment stated “multiple” militants had been killed, with reportedly “no civilians” killed or injured.

A statement released by the Somali Ministry of Information said that the airstrike was carried out by “the government of Somalia, in collaboration with US Africa Command”, and that according to preliminary evaluations “multiple” militants had been killed with “no reported civilian casualties.” The Puntland State Counter Terrorism office posted on Twitter/X saying “another airstrike was carried out today by Puntland’s allies from” AFRICOM, and that the strikes hit militants in the “Miiraale valley in the #Calmiskaad mountains”, noting that “several” militants were killed.

New America, in a report published on April 3 2025, quoted AFRICOM as having updated its assessment with five militants killed in the strike on 1 April.

The Somalia National News Agency (SONNA) noted that the strike hit militant “members and leaders gathering in the area”, and termed it a “precision strike” that supported “Puntland’s Dervish Army operations” in the region, which was corroborated by Goobjoog news and AllAfrica News. Mogadishu24 news called the strike a “joint airstrike operation” and that according to local sources, “loud explosions [were] heard in nearby villages, confirming the intensity of the strike.”

Former commander of special operations for the Somali army, Brigadier General Ahmed Abdullahi Sheikh posted on X saying “unlike previous offensive strikes” in the al-Miskaad region, this strike was reportedly US AFRICOM’s “first defensive action assistance”, which “aided ground forces advancing upon entrenched [militant] positions.”

Multiple other local, national and social media sources quoted the official press releases while reporting on the strikes.