Somalia: Puntland parades 50 foreign IS captives after victory

[Deeq A.]

Bosaso, Somalia — Puntland authorities on Sunday paraded nearly 50 foreign fighters whom security forces captured during a sweeping offensive against Islamic State militants, offering a rare glimpse into the transnational ranks of the jihadist group’s Somalia stronghold.

The disclosure follows the conclusion of a year-long military campaign in the rugged Cal Miskaad mountains of the semi-autonomous region, which officials say has dismantled a key command center for the global terror network.

Security officials released photographs and names of the detainees, who hail from at least seven countries. The roster underscores the reach of the Islamic State’s northern Somalia branch, which has transformed the remote mountainous terrain into a cross-border recruitment hub.

Of the captives presented, 18 are Ethiopian nationals, making up the largest contingent, followed by 11 Moroccans. Officials identified others as citizens of Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Türkiye, Yemen, and Syria.

Puntland authorities staged the unusual public roll call to expose the “foreign face” of an insurgency that analysts say functions as a financial and logistical node for Islamic State operations across Africa.

Foreign ranks exposed

Puntland has long warned that the Cal Miskaad massif—a jagged mountain range also known as Al-Miskad—had become a magnet for foreign extremists arriving via smuggling corridors along the Gulf of Aden.

Recent UN sanctions monitoring reports have corroborated these claims, warning that the Islamic State affiliate in Somalia has expanded its operational reach through foreign recruitment.

Puntland officials had previously estimated that up to 2,000 foreign fighters were operating in the mountains before the offensive began, though independent sources could not verify this figure.

The operation focused on the Al-Khalifa mountains, a natural fortress of steep ridgelines and caves where militants had established training camps and supply depots.

Puntland authorities declared they had largely cleared the area after what they described as the region’s “longest and deadliest” confrontation with the group. Officials estimated that the relentless campaign killed between 600 and 700 militants.

A splinter faction of Al-Shabaab founded the Islamic State’s Somalia branch in 2015 after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State. Although it remains smaller than its Al-Qaeda-linked rival, it has drawn significant international attention due to its role in generating revenue for IS affiliates worldwide.

Heavy losses

The victory exacted a high price. Puntland officials said the grinding mountain warfare killed hundreds of soldiers and officers and permanently wounded many others.

The fighting was particularly intense in February 2025, when clashes killed scores of troops in a single day. The conflict also displaced civilians in the Bari region, disrupting trade routes and pastoral livelihoods in an area already prone to instability.

Puntland authorities said the success of the offensive relied heavily on airstrikes and logistical support from the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Officials publicly thanked both nations on Saturday, crediting their assistance as decisive in degrading the militants’ command structure.

US forces have repeatedly targeted IS leaders in the region. In January 2023, a US special operations raid killed Bilal al-Sudani, a key financial facilitator for the group.

More recently, the US Africa Command acknowledged airstrikes in July 2025 near Bosaso to support the anti-IS push.

Federal rift

The praise for the UAE, however, struck a dissonant note in Mogadishu. Relations between the Somali federal government and the UAE have soured, with federal officials recently moving to cut ties with Abu Dhabi—a stance Puntland rejected.

Puntland leaders on Saturday reiterated their claim that they received no support from the federal government during the year-long battle.

Mogadishu disputes this, accusing Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni of rejecting cooperation amid a wider feud over elections and power-sharing.

The political impasse has complicated security coordination, even as the country faces parallel threats from Al-Shabaab in the south and Islamic State in the north.

Puntland authorities said the justice system would process the captured fighters under existing legal frameworks but stopped short of announcing specific plans for prosecutions or repatriation.

The presence of nationals from countries such as Morocco and Saudi Arabia poses a diplomatic challenge. In the past, local courts have handed down death sentences to foreign jihadists, raising complex legal questions.

Officials said the military focus has now shifted from large-scale combat to stabilization and surveillance, aiming to hunt down remnants of the group still hiding in the remote ravines of the Cal Miskaad range.

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