Saeed Abdullahi Deni, the president of Puntland State, held talks with a delegation led by Maj. Gen. Claude Tudor, the commander of US Special Operations Command Africa. “Puntland and the United States also signed a new agreement to expand their cooperation. Tudor visited Puntland a day after meeting with officials in Somaliland, a de facto independent state within Somalia’s internationally recognized borders. Puntland withdrew from the federal system in 2024, and this year clashes have occurred between forces loyal to the federal government and Puntland security forces. President Trump has overseen a major escalation in Somalia, launching at least 124 airstrikes in 2025, a record number.