GAROWE (WDN) — Puntland’s security defense forces announced on Sunday that they had taken control of several areas along the Baallade Valley, long considered a haven for ISIS militants in northern Somalia.

In a statement issued by the Puntland Defense Command, officials confirmed that troops had overrun settlements including Dhaban-qooxle, Cas-caso, Ceelka Dul, Darayle, and Ceelka Gambarre during what they described as a carefully planned offensive. The operation forms part of the fourth phase of “Hawlgalka Calmiskaad,” a sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling ISIS networks in the rugged mountains of Bari region.

“The First Division of Puntland Defense Forces conducted coordinated strikes across multiple fronts in the Calmiskaad Mountains, targeting key ISIS positions,” the statement read. “Phase Four of Operation Hilaac, designed to root out ISIS fugitives, is progressing with strength and speed across land, air, and sea. The results so far have been positive.”

The Baallade Valley, stretching across the mountains of Bari, has been a strategic hideout for ISIS militants since the group’s emergence in Somalia in 2015. Over the past decade, Puntland forces have launched several campaigns to dislodge the extremists, who rely on the remote terrain for cover and mobility. Despite periodic defeats, ISIS militants have remained resilient, using guerrilla tactics and re-emerging after military setbacks.

This latest offensive comes as Puntland intensifies its security operations underscoring the administration’s determination to demonstrate the defeat of ISIS and the expansion into operation  Onkod in Cal –Madow, Sanaag region against the Al Shabab militant extremist. The renewed push also follows a pattern of seasonal offensives in the Calmiskaad range, where Puntland’s previous significant gains, only to face renewed insurgent activity months later.

Security observers say the success of the current campaign may hinge on whether Puntland can hold newly captured areas and prevent ISIS remnants from regrouping. For now, authorities are touting the operation as a major blow to a group that has used the Baallade Valley as a sanctuary for years.

WardheerNews