Security forces in Somalia’s autonomous Puntland region launched a series of raids overnight in the coastal city of Bosaaso. The raids where aimed at dismantling sleeper cells operating in the city affiliated with the so called Islamic State faction in Somalia, commonly referred to as Daacish by the locals.

The raids occured late into night and where spearheaded by the PSF, which is an elite counter terrorism unit with alleged ties to wealthy Gulf monarchies and Western intelligence. Dozens of suspected militants where nabbed during the door to door raids which swept like wildfire across the city according to residents.

In the midst of the raids that targeted the suspected Daciish (ISIS) sleeper cells, the PSF unit came across bomb making material and remote control detonaters in multiple homes. The explosive material along with the suspects where whisked away to an undisclosed location.

Listed below are the photos from the raids

 

Somalia’s Daciish Dilemma

The Islamic State (Daciish) faction in Somalia began operating in the country in 2015 but didn’t gain ground til October 2016 after the insurgents overran the port town of Qandala, which they ruled with immunity for 38 days despite only having a few dozen fighters until being flushed out.

Since than the terror group has expanded in seize and capabilities. Daciish insurgents, although mainly secluded to the Puntland region of the country have been able to carry out assassinations and bombings with immunity in major cities such as Bosaaso and Garowe. The insurgents have miraculously managed to recruit hundreds of fighters within there ranks according to the Crisis group think tank.

The Daciish branch in Somalia has even been able to build an extortion racket in the city of Bosaaso, which is reminiscent of Al Shabaab’s tax empire in Mogadishu. This has caught experts by surprise and only shows the level of influence Daciish wields within Puntland’s businesses community and political elite.

Somalia’s Islamic State branch (Daciish) is under the leadership of Abdulkaadir Mumiin, a British-Somali cleric with roots and clan ties in the Puntland region. There’s not much else known about other key leaders within Somalia’s Daciish movement. The terror group mainly remains based in Northern Somalia’s Galgala mountains which is the de facto base of the insurgency.

Halgan Media Service Desk 

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