Puntland forces kill senior ISIS drone commander in targeted operation

 Puntland forces kill senior ISIS drone commander in targeted operation

Puntland security forces have killed a senior Islamic State (ISIS) commander responsible for directing drone attacks using explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), authorities announced Thursday.

The militant, identified as a foreign national, was killed in a Puntland-led operation in the Lugta-Huraanhur and Togga Raq-raq areas of the Al Miskaad mountains in the Bari region, according to a statement from the Hillaac Operation Command. Officials did not disclose whether additional ISIS fighters were eliminated in the operation but noted that Puntland forces had expanded their control in the area, prompting the militants to retreat.

The operation comes a day after Puntland forces recovered a fixed-wing drone suspected to have been used by ISIS militants in the same area. The UAV was discovered during counterterrorism operations targeting militant hideouts.

The use of explosive-laden drones has posed a persistent threat to Puntland security forces in their fight against ISIS, which has increasingly relied on this tactic for long-range attacks. The ISIS faction in Somalia was the first militant group in the country to deploy UAVs equipped with explosives, enabling precision strikes from a distance.

Puntland has been engaged in prolonged counterterrorism efforts against both ISIS and al-Shabab insurgents. Security forces have intensified operations to neutralize threats posed by these extremist factions, particularly in the rugged mountain terrain where militant groups have established strongholds.