Senior U.S. officials met with Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni on Saturday, pledging continued support for Somalia’s semi-autonomous region as it intensifies its fight against ISIS in the rugged Calmiskaad mountains.
U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Richard H. Riley and Major General Claude Tudor, head of U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, praised Puntland’s frontline troops for leading Operation Lightning, a campaign against ISIS militants entrenched in the Bari region.
“While the United States provides unique capabilities in support, local forces are the tip of the spear, taking the fight to the enemy who threatens not only Somalia, but the region, and our homeland,” the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu posted on X. “This is the kind of coordinated approach that helps protect American interests at home and abroad.”
The Puntland Presidency said AFRICOM officers also briefed Operation Lightning commanders, reaffirming Washington’s backing as Puntland forces target entrenched cells linked to both ISIS and Al-Shabaab. Maritime security in the Gulf of Aden — vital for global shipping — was also high on the agenda.
The visit comes amid controversy over a U.S. airstrike in northern Sanaag earlier this month. AFRICOM said the strike killed an Al-Shabaab weapons trafficker, but local leaders insist the victim was Abdullahi Omar Abdi, a respected clan elder and peace mediator. His death has fueled anger in the region and renewed debate about the risks of U.S. counter-terror operations in Somalia.
Despite the backlash, U.S. officials stressed that the counter-terrorism partnership with Puntland remains critical. Washington views the region’s security forces as one of Somalia’s most capable, particularly in preventing ISIS from establishing a foothold in the Horn of Africa.
By tying its counter-terror campaign in Somalia to broader U.S. homeland security, Washington has underscored its long-term stake in Puntland’s stability — even as local tensions over civilian casualties test the partnership.
