(28-09-23) BOSASO — Puntland security forces arrested a Sudanese member of the Daesh extremist group, identified as Ahmed Hussein Ibrahim, in a planned operation on Wednesday in Uffeyn village, Bari region. The arrest has reignited concerns about an increasing number of foreign nationals involved with extremist groups in Somalia.
The operation which targeted a senior member of Daesh, according to Puntland Police Command statement, also released a photograph of the detained as a part of ongoing transparency initiatives. “The operation focused on a senior ISIS/Daesh member who is a Sudanese citizen,” the statement said.
The Puntland Police Command highlighted the growing issue of foreign nationals becoming involved with Daesh, in the mountainous strongholds of the Bari region.
The arrest follows a recent similar incident where a Yemeni national, Mohamed Salim Mohamed, died due to heat exposure and hunger. His body was later discovered in the Dhudhub village. Authorities are still investigating the details surrounding his presence in Somalia.
In June, Puntland Police Command disclosed the detention of three ISIS members, including another Sudanese national identified as Mohamed Ibrahim Daha. The identities of the other detainees, believed to be Syrian, have not yet been revealed.
Security forces in Puntland remain engaged in a robust anti-extremist campaign in the challenging landscape of the Galgala mountains, part of the broader Bari region. The operations are aimed at eradicating both domestic and international extremist elements.
The Somali government has intensified its offensive against Al-Shabaab in South and Central Somalia in the last three months gaining momentum and liberating hundreds of kilometres previously controlled by Al-Shabaab.
