Multi-Agency security personnel during a night search of travelers along the Nairobi- Garissa Highway in November 2021.
In Puntland, one of the five federal states of Somalia, authorities have realised they have a mammoth problem on their hands. As the 2024 approached its end, a group of extremists launched a suicide attack on a military base.
The result was one of the deadliest in Puntland, which has often presented itself as a stable administrative region in Somalia.
In the wake of that, authorities paraded photos of 13 merchants of terror, all of whom were foreigners. They had died in the attack.
This week on Tuesday, they also paraded photos of Salad Nahar Hirsi, the suspected member of ISIS-Somalia said to have surrendered.
The security apparatus stated that he came forward in a bid to benefit from a pardon promised by Puntland leader Said Abdullahi Deni for those who renounce the extremist idea.
It could be true, or a strategy to lure extremists to quit the group.
Just hours before Hirsi was exposed, the forces of Puntland, locally known as Dervish, confronted IS fighters in the mountainous area of Bari region.
Brig-Gen Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed, the spokesperson for security operations, told the media that confrontation between IS militants and Puntland security forces on Sunday and Monday resulted deaths of 20 and scores injured.
“Puntland lost 7 soldiers while 15 Islamic State militants were killed in the clashes on Sunday and Monday,” stated Gen Ahmed.
Until last month, ISIS attacks and counter attacks by Puntland force was limited to minor confrontations and hit-and-run assaults.
But, a full force military campaign begun when the region’s leader President Deni announced last month an all-out war on IS insurgents.
Units of Dervish force spearheaded the campaign, moving through the rough terrain the extremists used as hideout, from where they plan and launch attacks.
A month-long operation reportedly caused the insurgents losing ground, as positions and depots of arms and rations are seized by the slowly advancing government troops.
But, one incident on 30th of December exposed what was suspected as the composition of ISIS-Somalia manpower. Dharjaale, a position held by Puntland force, was attacked with two suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (SVBIEDs).
An undisclosed number of soldiers died while others were injured. All the assailants, with some detonating wearable IEDs (PB-IEDs), died, within the camp.
Hours later, IS released photos via social media of the fighters from its suicide assault. Most of them were labeled as Tanzanians, others Saudis and Moroccans. There were also fighters from Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, and Ethiopia.
The foreign appendage was worrying security policy makers here.
Two weeks ago, security officers of Puntland such as Col Mukhtar Ahmed Farah alias Gagale told local Puntland media that most of ISIS militants hiding in the mountains are from non-Muslim majority countries. Addressing an army unit, he said that some jihadists are, in fact, believed to come from Israel and Western countries.
When on 19th of October last year, the Puntland force reported seizing an Israeli from Sakhnin, a city in Northern Isarel who allegedly came to Somalia for jihad (holy war).
Last week, Puntland Minister of Information Mohamud Aideed Dirir told the media that foreign jihadists surrendered to the administration.
Dirir did not mention their number and the countries they originate from, but indicated that their repatriation will be done via collaboration with International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“There are foreigners that surrendered whose repatriation is being processed via IOM and ICRC to their countries,” remarked Minister Dirir.
ISIS-Somalia originally started as a splinter group of Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab in 2015 and headed by Sheikh Abdulqadir Mumin who vowed allegiance to then to the late IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Al-Shabaab infuriated by a parallel Islamist group, tried to eliminate ISIS with little success in Puntland. However, that rivalry prevented ISIS from spreading elsewhere in Somalia.
As it attracted more militants in Puntland and their number grew from 100 or 200 to an astounding 1000 to 1200 establishing base at Cal Miskat within the Golis Mountain range, with peaks reaching above 2000 m.
By 2017 it was recognized as the Somali province of Islamic State, some media outlets naming Mumin IS global leader.
IS-militants in Puntland targets clan elders, moderate religious preachers, army officers, intellectuals, and State officials.
Puntland campaign against IS was widely covered by the media, influential politicians such as Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre and MP Abdirahman Abdishakur criticized the federal government led by
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for not appreciating the success by Puntland against IS.
The politicians especially noted when Puntland announced seizing 48 bases from IS in Cal Miskat mountain areas including the group’s four command centres, logistical godowns, transport garage and facility used to assemble explosive devices and drones.
Addressing a crowd in Mogadishu two days later, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said that the federal government was happy to witness Puntland scoring success against insurgents.
In response, Puntland Information Minister Dirir criticized PM Barre’s remarks, calling it hallow and lacking meaningful action.
Dirir stated, “(the prime minister) fails to deliver critical support such as ammunition and armored vehicles to Puntland’s fight against IS,” labelling the premier as providing mere moral support.
Recently, Puntland Urged Global Support in the Fight Against Transnational Terrorism.
On this issue, a notable report is an analysis issued by International Crisis Group (ICG) on 12 September 2024, concluding, “An Islamic State branch has acquired a foothold in Puntland, in north-eastern Somalia, and has been channelling funds to the jihadist network’s other African affiliates.
ICG offered a suggestion, “Curtailing the (terrorist) group’s activities will require the Somali government and Puntland authorities to overcome their divisions to take concerted action.
Last week in Bossaso, Puntland’s commercial capital, the Puntland State Council of Ministers issued a statement calling on the international community to assist Puntland State in its war against transnational terrorists.
Puntland ministers stated, “ISIS not only recruits a large number of foreigners in an attempt to replicate the actions of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the slain “Emir” of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.”
Puntland is not only seeking support from the federal government, but also from international partners like the United States airstrikes similar to the one that nearly missed IS-Somalia founder and leader Abdulqadir Mumin on May 31, 2024.
