Somali armed forces have taken full control of Miirale, the main base of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in the Kal-Miskaad mountains in the central part of the country. This was reported by The Daily Somalia newspaper, citing a military source.

The base had been held by terrorists for the past decade, according to the African Initiative news agency. Troops advanced from several directions, including the Miirale area. The terrorists were forced to retreat towards the Baalada Valley.

Earlier in May, forces from the semi-autonomous Somali region of Puntland repelled an attempted attack by militants linked to ISIS. At least 10 militants were killed during the operation.

Somalia has suffered from insecurity for many years, with the main threats coming from the terrorist groups Al-Shabaab and Islamic State. Since 2007, Al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and African Union peacekeepers in the country.