Puntland security forces have captured two foreign Islamic State fighters who fled into the rugged Kalabayr area following a major offensive against militant hideouts in the Cal-Miskaad Mountains. The suspects were arrested late Thursday night in Bari region’s mountainous terrain after Puntland troops, supported by local informants, dismantled several ISIS-Somalia encampments as part of an ongoing counter-terrorism campaign.
Military spokesmen confirmed the two men will be transferred to the main command center in Bosaso for interrogation before being tried in the Puntland Military Court, which handles terrorism-related cases. Officials say the operation has disrupted key supply lines and forced surviving militants to scatter into increasingly inhospitable highlands.
Since its split from al-Shabaab in 2015, the so-called ISIS-Somalia branch has maintained a foothold in northeastern Somalia’s remote ranges. Though smaller than al-Shabaab, it has carried out targeted assassinations, extortion, and online recruitment. Puntland’s authorities warned that the Cal-Miskaad and Kalabayr regions attract foreign fighters seeking to evade capture or rebuild after defeats elsewhere in Somalia.
In recent months, regional forces based in Garowe have intensified patrols and built stronger ties with mountain-dwelling communities. Improved human intelligence led to Thursday’s arrests and to the seizure of weapons caches and logistical materials during earlier raids on insurgent camps.
“The capture of these foreign elements demonstrates our resolve to clear every last militant network from Puntland territory,” said a senior military commander. He added that operations would continue “until the mountains no longer serve as a sanctuary for extremists.”
The Bari highlands’ steep cliffs and forested valleys have long offered natural cover for insurgents. Puntland’s stepped-up campaign follows intelligence that ISIS-Somalia cells were planning further attacks on government outposts and civilian targets.
International partners, including the African Union and a United Nations mission in Somalia, have welcomed Puntland’s efforts. They note that neutralizing ISIS-Somalia in the northeast is critical to stabilizing the broader Somali security landscape, where al-Shabaab remains the largest threat.
With the latest arrests, Puntland authorities hope to deliver a clear message that no militant—foreign or domestic—can evade justice by fleeing into the mountains. The two detainees now face questioning that officials say could yield further leads on ISIS-Somalia’s network and foreign recruitment routes.
