Islamic State in Somalia: analytical complexity between counter-terrorism and propaganda.
Details and Photos of the last two Weeks
The Islamic State continues to pose a global threat, despite the deaths of several of its leaders in the past two years and leadership crises, with a growing threat especially in Africa. Among the Islamic State's rapidly growing operational provinces in Africa is Somalia. Threatening the security of the Somali country, in fact, in addition to the violent military campaigns of al-Shabaab, there is also the operation of the Wilayah al-Somal, elevated to a province by the central leadership in 2017. The Islamic State in Somalia operates mainly in the mountainous areas of Puntland.
In November 2024, the semi-autonomous state of Puntland declared the start of Operation Hilaac, a major military offensive, led by the Puntland Security Forces, the Puntland Dervish Forces, the Puntland Maritime Police Force, with the support of the US Africa Command against the Islamic State in the Bari region.
Since January 2025, the Puntland Armed Forces have significantly intensified their fight against Islamic State militants in the Al Miskaat mountain range, located in the Bari region. Counter-terrorism operations by the Puntland counter-terrorism forces are trying to surround the Al Miskat mountains and are moving towards suspected hideouts.
Despite the counter-terrorism operations, the Islamic State has managed to partially counter-terrorism and is still working to conduct numerous attacks.
In issue 491 of the weekly al-Naba, the group published an infographic referring to activity in its Somali province (IS-Somalia) and claiming 55 attacks in 52 days (15 February 2025 to 9 April 2025), killing and wounding 318 soldiers and destroying 26 military vehicles.
The information contradicts that of the Puntland Counter-Terrorism Forces but also that of IS itself, which, through its media and other al-Naba weeklies, had not claimed military operations since 7 February.
In total, in the first four months of 2025, the Islamic State conducted 98 attacks. The attacks are mostly defensive, under counter-terrorism pressure, and are conducted against the Puntland Armed Forces in the administrative region of Bari in the federal state of Puntland.
The Islamic State in Somalia has tried to capitalise on the recent situation at a propaganda level, attempting in the last 2 weeks to mask the difficulties through extensive propaganda.
To show its activity in Somalia, the Islamic State relied primarily on the weekly al-Naba Newspaper, devoting many pages to activity in the Somali province of Puntland.
Subsequently, the Amaq news agency, the official media of the Islamic State, released a video and 2 lengthy statements claiming and showing attacks with improvised explosive devices against a convoy of Puntland forces and camps and troops and Puntland security forces in areas of the Bari administrative region.
The Islamic State's official media later published an extensive photo report to show the attacks and clashes of militants from the IS-Somalia province against the armed forces in Puntland over the past two weeks. Below are all the photos (those showing dead bodies have been excluded):
Daniele Garofalo is a researcher and analyst on Jihadist Terrorism, Islamist Insurgents and Armed Groups. He is an expert in Monitoring Jihadist Media Channels and Islamist rebels, and Armed Groups.
Support my research, analysis and monitoring with a donation here on PayPal.Me/DanieleGarofalo88