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Reports confirm that at least three civilians killed, seven wounded in al-Shabab mortar shelling in Puntland following an indiscriminate indirect fire attack targeting residential areas in Galgala village. According to local administrative officials and medical personnel in the Bari region, several artillery rounds impacted near civilian dwellings, destroying homes and inflicting immediate casualties among local residents. Emergency response teams and security personnel quickly dispatched the wounded to medical facilities in nearby Bosaso for specialized treatment, with physicians reporting that several victims remain in critical condition due to severe shrapnel injuries.
The fatal shelling comes in the wake of intensified military operations launched by Puntland Security Forces against entrenched positions held by the terrorist group across the nearby Cal Madow mountain range. State defense authorities recently initiated Operation Unkod, a targeted military campaign designed to dismantle mountain hideouts, eliminate improvised explosive device networks, and neutralize terrorist cells operating along strategic transit corridors. Security analysts observe that the indiscriminate bombardment of Galgala appears to be a retaliatory measure by the terrorist network to inflict civilian distress and distract state forces from ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
Local government representatives and community elders across Puntland strongly condemned the terror attack, characterizing the targeted shelling of non-combatants as a severe violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. Regional authorities reaffirmed their determination to clear terrorist elements from the Galgala area and surrounding mountain strongholds, pledging additional medical assistance and material support to affected families. Defense commanders emphasized that frontline units will maintain elevated readiness levels and expand containment operations to ensure the security of rural settlements across northern Somalia.
International security partners and regional governance observers continue to monitor the fluid security situation, emphasizing that protecting civilian populations remains paramount during anti-terror campaigns. Regional security agencies have intensified intelligence gathering and surveillance along key roads in the Cal Madow range to intercept mobile mortar units and prevent further artillery strikes. As at least three civilians killed, seven wounded in al-Shabab mortar shelling in Puntland, state security forces remain committed to sustaining Operation Unkod until peace, stability, and public safety are fully restored across the territory.