The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has recently carried out a series of intense airstrikes in the Al-Miskaad Mountains in the Bari region of Puntland State, according to a statement released by AFRICOM. These airstrikes were specifically targeting the active presence of the ISIS group in Puntland, particularly in an area located 46 miles southeast of the port city of Bosaso. However, AFRICOM has not provided any further details on the attack, as they have stopped releasing information on the number of civilian casualties resulting from airstrikes since last year. This recent attack marks the 62nd airstrike conducted by the U.S. in Somalia this year, indicating that the Trump administration is on track to surpass the previous year’s record of 124 airstrikes. This increase in U.S. airstrikes can be attributed to the administration’s decision to loosen restrictions on military operations and lift restrictions on drone strikes outside of designated battle zones.
