US Expands Military Presence in Northern Somalia Under ISIS Pretext

According to an investigation by Drop Site News, five Puntland security officials said the United States is effectively establishing a new military base in Bosaso, despite the project being publicly described as an expansion of an existing facility.

Bosaso’s location on the Gulf of Aden gives the planned installation major strategic importance, as it lies along the maritime route linking the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The development comes amid a sharp increase in US military operations in Somalia under President Donald Trump, whose administration has significantly expanded airstrikes against ISIS and al-Shabaab. Puntland officials have credited US air power with helping weaken ISIS in the region.

However, the emerging infrastructure indicates that Washington’s involvement extends beyond individual airstrikes. The reported expansion includes a local launch point for US military operations, increased CIA activity, and a new US-funded Somali strike force.

The growing US presence would also give Washington a military position overlooking the Gulf of Aden and approaches to the Red Sea, further strengthening its strategic and intelligence foothold in the region.

The developments point to a more entrenched American military role in Somalia, with Washington increasingly combining counterterrorism operations with expanded infrastructure, intelligence activity, and influence over local security forces.