El Il-Abbal lies deep in the Qansahdheere valley, near the coastal villages of Buru and Ba’aad, both within the Bosaso district. The rugged terrain and proximity to the sea provide natural defences and potential escape routes for militants, making it a strategic refuge for the group’s leadership.
Initial field reports indicate casualties among ISIS fighters, with several bodies found near the battlefront. Officials have not released the number of government casualties, and Puntland’s security command has yet to issue a formal statement.
The ISIS faction in Somalia, which split from Al-Shabaab that year, has maintained a limited but resilient presence in northeastern Somalia, conducting assassinations, extortion, and smuggling activities along the coast.
