Puntland court arraigns suspects accused of Al-Shabaab, ISIS links
A military court in Somalia’s Puntland region on Tuesday arraigned ten suspects accused of being members of Al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia, armed groups operating in the Cal-Madow and Cal-Miskaad mountains.
The suspects, including Somali nationals and foreigners, appeared before a Puntland military court, with authorities stating that most had admitted affiliation with the groups.
Prosecutors urged the court to determine the suspects’ involvement and gather further intelligence on their activities.
One suspect, reportedly from northern Somalia, told the court he had undergone training in Jilib, Al-Shabaab’s main stronghold, and was tasked with recruiting fighters in the Cayn region before his capture by security forces.
The development comes as Puntland continues its offensive against ISIS-Somalia fighters in the third phase of its operation in the mountainous Bari region. Local media reported that ISIS-Somalia fighters attacked a Puntland military base in Dhaban-Qooxle on Monday night, triggering hours of clashes. At least one soldier was killed, and six others were wounded, while Puntland forces said they killed four ISIS-Somalia fighters.
