The US military launched an airstrike on Saturday targeting Islamic State (IS) operatives in Somalia's Puntland region, killing several members of the group, according to Africa Command (AFRICOM).

In a statement, the US military's European-based command confirmed that the strike, carried out in coordination with the Somali government, struck "multiple ISIS-Somalia targets."

While IS has a smaller presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, the group has been expanding its influence in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.

"The airstrike occurred southeast of Bosasso, Puntland, in Northeastern Somalia," AFRICOM stated, adding, "AFRICOM's initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed."

This operation follows a similar strike two days earlier, which AFRICOM described as part of "a larger counter-terrorism initiative" in Somalia.

In February, US airstrikes targeted IS in Puntland, with local authorities reporting that "key figures" were killed, though they did not provide further details.

Somalia offers US control over ports to block Somaliland recognition

In a move to defend its territorial integrity and push back against foreign-engineered fragmentation, Somalia has reportedly offered the US exclusive control over key ports and airbases located in Somaliland and Puntland.

According to Semafor, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent a letter to US President Donald Trump on March 16, offering Washington "exclusive operational control" over the Berbera port and airbase in Somaliland and the Bosaso port and airbase in Puntland.

Both facilities are strategically located along the Gulf of Aden, a maritime corridor of immense geopolitical value. Notably, the Somali federal government currently lacks de facto control over these sites.

Recognition bargain

The Somali government's offer appears to be a strategic response to growing signs that the United States may move toward recognizing Somaliland.

Media reports in March indicated that Washington has been in talks with Somaliland leadership, exploring what could be exchanged for such recognition—including the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has previously declared that Somalia would categorically reject "any proposal or initiative, from any party, that would undermine the Palestinian people's right to live peacefully on their ancestral land."

Somaliland also denied being involved in such discussions. Its Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adan, noted that the region's pursuit of recognition was grounded in its political history and self-governance—not in any quid pro quo involving the displacement of Palestinians.

Since the collapse of Siad Barre's government in 1991, Somalia has operated under a fractured political system.

While the internationally recognized federal government is based in Mogadishu, large parts of the country are controlled by autonomous regional authorities or armed factions.

Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, has maintained its own government and military, though no country has recognized it as a sovereign state. 

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