Puntland regional state of Somalia refuted reports indicating that the Islamic State poses a growing threat in Puntland following a recent U.S. airstrike targeting the group’s leader in Somalia.
Puntland security officials told the media that there is no current security threat from the Islamic State in Puntland, although the ISIS militants are present in some parts of the Bari region.
The officials refrained from commenting on reports that the head of the ISIS affiliate group in Somalia, Abdulqadir Mumin, was targeted by the U.S. airstrike in Puntland in the last month.
U.S. Africa Command released a statement on May 31 saying it had conducted an airstrike against ISIS militants in a remote area 81 km (50 miles) southeast of Bosaso, Somalia, killing three militants. The AFRICOM statement did not specify who was targeted or killed.
However, three U.S. officials said Mumin was the target of that operation, even though his death has not been confirmed.
