(18 Feb 2025) BOOSAASO (Halqabsi News) — Security forces in Somalia’s northeastern port city of Boosaaso have arrested a significant number of suspected ISIS militants, including key figures in the group’s financial network, police officials announced.
Bari Regional Police Commander, Colonel Cabdiqaadir Jaamac Dirir, told reporters that the arrests were made during ongoing security operations targeting ISIS cells in the Bari region. He stated that those detained included individuals responsible for collecting revenue for the group, as well as operatives tasked with planting explosives in Boosaaso.
“We are waging a strong battle within the city,” Col. Dirir said. “We have captured many ISIS operatives, including those responsible for financing and executing attacks.”
He credited residents with playing a crucial role in the operation, saying their vigilance in reporting suspicious individuals had been vital. “The public is so vigilant that they immediately report any suspicious person, ensuring they don’t escape,” he said.
Security forces remain on high alert in Boosaaso, a major commercial hub for Puntland state. While Al-Shabaab remains the dominant militant group in Somalia, ISIS has maintained a smaller but persistent presence in the country, primarily in Puntland’s mountainous regions. The group has been known to extort businesses and carry out attacks in urban areas.
As Puntland authorities escalate counterterrorism operations, security forces vow to dismantle ISIS cells further and disrupt their financial networks.
Halqabsi News
