BOSASO, Somalia — August 2, 2026 — Puntland and United States officials are expected to open high-level talks in Bosaso focused on expanding counterterrorism cooperation, strengthening Puntland’s security forces and planning the next phase of operations against Islamic State and al-Shabaab militants, according to sources familiar with the preparations.

The discussions are expected to examine how Puntland and the United States can expand joint efforts against militant networks operating in the mountainous areas of northeastern Somalia.

Sources said the proposed agenda includes support for operations in the Cal Miskaad and Cal Madow mountain ranges, where Islamic State and al-Shabaab fighters have maintained remote hideouts and supply routes.

The meeting is also expected to focus on military training, operational planning, intelligence sharing, equipment and logistical assistance for Puntland forces conducting ground operations.

Neither the Puntland administration nor the United States government had issued a public statement confirming the meeting or its full agenda at the time of publication.

According to the sources, Puntland officials will seek assistance to improve the capacity, readiness and equipment of regional forces as they prepare for a broader phase of counterterrorism operations.

The talks could also address a more direct working relationship between Puntland and U.S. security officials. The proposed arrangement would seek to reduce dependence on third-party coordination and allow faster communication during security operations, the sources said.

Any formal agreement affecting international military access or security cooperation would likely carry wider political and legal implications because Somalia’s federal government is internationally recognized as the country’s central authority.

U.S. Africa Command has consistently said its military operations in Somalia are conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, including airstrikes targeting Islamic State positions near Bosaso and the Golis Mountains.

The reported Bosaso agenda may also include discussions about American access to strategic transport corridors and facilities in Puntland. However, the nature of any proposed access arrangement remains unclear, and there has been no official confirmation from either side.

Bosaso is Puntland’s main commercial port and occupies a strategic position near the Gulf of Aden and maritime routes connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean.

In March 2025, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered the United States access to several strategic assets, including the port of Bosaso, in a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

Previous Puntland-U.S. Engagement

The expected meeting would follow earlier diplomatic and military engagements between Puntland and U.S. officials.

In May 2026, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni received a senior American delegation in Garowe for discussions that reportedly covered security cooperation, political developments and investment opportunities.

The delegation was led by Justin Davis, the acting head of the U.S. diplomatic mission to Somalia, and included U.S. military officials, according to regional media reports.

U.S. Africa Command’s commander also visited Bosaso in November 2025 and met senior Puntland officials and military commanders.

During the visit, AFRICOM said the commander praised Puntland’s campaign against Islamic State militants in the Golis Mountains.

The U.S. military’s 2026 Africa Command posture statement said American fire support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance had helped keep Islamic State leaders under pressure in Puntland.

Puntland launched a major offensive against Islamic State positions in late 2024, concentrating on the Cal Miskaad mountains in Bari region.

The group had used the rugged terrain, caves and isolated valleys to establish bases, store weapons and organize attacks. The difficult geography has repeatedly complicated ground operations and the movement of military supplies.

Puntland forces captured significant territory during the early stages of the campaign. Regional officials told Reuters in February 2025 that their forces had recovered about 250 square kilometres and dozens of militant positions.

Officials also requested international assistance, including military equipment, mine-clearing expertise, anti-drone systems and logistical support.

The United States has carried out repeated airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Puntland. AFRICOM confirmed strikes near the Golis Mountains in April 2026, approximately 90 kilometres southeast of Bosaso.

Islamic State in Somalia is smaller than al-Shabaab but has gained international attention because of its foreign fighters, financing networks and links to the wider Islamic State organization.

Al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, remains Somalia’s largest militant organization and controls or contests territory mainly in southern and central regions. It has also maintained a presence in parts of the northern mountain ranges.

Expanded U.S. assistance could improve Puntland’s ability to sustain ground operations in remote areas where militants rely on difficult terrain, explosive devices and small mobile units.

Training, surveillance, communications equipment and logistical support could also help Puntland forces hold captured territory and prevent militant cells from returning after security operations end.

A direct Puntland-U.S. security arrangement could create political tension with Somalia’s federal government if Mogadishu believes it is being excluded from decisions involving foreign military cooperation.

The talks may therefore influence not only the campaign against Islamic State and al-Shabaab, but also the wider relationship between Puntland, the federal government and Somalia’s international security partners.

Officials are expected to clarify the level of participation, the formal agenda and whether the meeting will produce a written security agreement.

Key issues will include the type of assistance offered to Puntland forces, the legal framework for direct cooperation and whether Somalia’s federal authorities will participate in or approve any resulting arrangement.

Until an official statement is released, reports concerning permanent U.S. access, military deployment or control of Puntland facilities should be treated as unconfirmed.