MOGADISHU, Somalia — Brig. Gen. Ahmed Abdi Ali, Puntland Defense Forces’ Second Battalion commander, was killed on Tuesday in a roadside bomb explosion.
The blast struck a vehicle carrying Gen. Ali near Dhasaan village in the Al-Miskad Mountains, a key area where Puntland forces battle ISIS militants entrenched in Bari region.
Puntland Interior Minister Abdi Farah Said confirmed the general died alongside a soldier named Mohamed Hiiteeye in the explosion.
“Gen. Ali died after stepping on a landmine planted by enemy forces while defending his people at the frontlines,” Said said.
Al-Miskad has been the site of intense fighting as Puntland troops battle ISIS militants aiming to expand their control in Somalia.
Gen. Ali was a seasoned officer who also served under Somalia’s central government, including as Somali National Army commander in the Awdal region.
In Puntland, he played a critical role in building the regional military and security forces to counter terrorism and insurgent threats.
“He was a courageous leader who fought terrorism directly and died honorably defending his country,” Minister Said added, offering prayers for the fallen soldiers.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but ISIS is known to plant mines and ambush forces throughout the rugged Al-Miskad terrain.