Somali security forces apprehended four Moroccan nationals on Monday suspected of ISIS involvement in the Puntland state.
The arrests, made on November 18 in Ali Miskad’s mountainous region, highlight the ongoing struggle against extremist groups in the Puntland.
Police spokesperson Sadiq Aden Ali confirmed the operation, stating that investigations are underway, with findings to be disclosed to the public in the coming days.
Since establishing a presence in Puntland’s Galgala mountains in 2015, ISIS, under former UK-based cleric Abdulkadir Mumin, has been actively clashing with Puntland forces and al-Shabab militants. In July, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, head of ISIS-Somalia’s finance office, for his key role in supporting ISIS activities in Somalia.
This year, ISIS-Somalia faced setbacks, including the death of its leader, Bilal al-Sudani, in a U.S. special forces raid in northern Somalia. Al-Sudani was a significant figure in the Islamic State’s operations across eastern, central, and southern Africa.
