Puntland’s Vice President, Ilyas Osman Lugator has commended the region’s religious scholars for their key role in fighting ISIS and Al-Shabaab. Speaking on the matter, the Vice President lauded the scholars for stepping up to the plate and actively contributing to the ongoing efforts to tackle extremist groups.
He issued an apology to the scholars, addressing remarks made by certain government officials. “An uninformed government official made inappropriate comments about the scholars. However, we have sat down with the scholars to discuss the fight against ISIS, and the agreed-upon measures are already being implemented,” he clarified.
This comes on the heels of recent criticism from some Puntland officials, who accused the religious leaders of failing to rally the public against ISIS. The officials had suggested that the scholars were not pulling their weight in this critical battle.
Responding to the allegations, Sheikh Mahamud Haji Yusuf, a prominent scholar pushed back, blaming the Puntland administration for dropping the ball in the fight against Al-Shabaab and ISIS. He emphasized the need for genuine dialogue and urged the government to address pressing issues in the region, including insecurity and drug abuse,
