(31 Mar 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) – A Somali researcher has spotlighted a key factor behind Puntland’s repeated success in fending off extremist threats, attributing the region’s resilience to its unified government and cohesive society. Dr. Ashkir Nuur, a respected scholar who has conducted research into why terrorist factions consistently falter in their offensives against Puntland, said extremist groups have never managed to gain local acceptance or social hosting within the region. “Puntland has succeeded in breaking the back of terrorism. It is a state where the government and the people stand united with shared strength, so terrorists cannot find community support there,” Dr. Ashkir noted.
Labeling Puntland as a region fortified by both public and governmental unity, Dr. Ashkir emphasised that this solidarity plays a pivotal role in foiling plots hatched by extremist groups.
He pointed to the 2016 battles of Suuj and Garmaal as prime examples, where Al-Shabaab militants were routed, with many killed or captured and placed in detention facilities. According to the researcher, the group’s public reaction to their defeat laid bare their frustration, as they lashed out at the Puntland public, accusing them of being a united tribal society aligned with foreign powers.
The researcher’s revelation comes as Puntland has recently gained notable successes in its fight against the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS) during major operations in the mountainous areas of Bari region.
Halqabsi News
