Puntland forces uncover foreign passports linked to ISIS-Somalia

Security forces in Somalia’s Puntland region have discovered 32 foreign passports at an ISIS-Somalia base in the Al-Miskaad mountain ranges in Bari region, authorities said.

The documents were found as Puntland continues the third phase of its military operation aimed at dislodging the group from the mountainous area.

“The passports of foreign ISIS members captured today by Puntland Counterterrorism Forces belong to individuals from Europe, Africa, the Arab world, and Latin America. Among them are three children born in 2019, 2020, and 2022,” Puntland’s counterterrorism unit said in a statement.

The recovered passports included:

Saudi Arabia – 3

Germany – 1

Argentina – 1

Tunisia – 2

Morocco – 4

Kenya – 1

Tanzania – 12

Lebanon – 1

Bahrain – 1

Bangladesh – 4

It remains unclear whether the passports were stolen for identity fraud or belonged to foreign members of the group.

The discovery comes a day after the United States carried out airstrikes in the region.

Analysts warn that the presence of foreign fighters, including individuals from as far as Argentina, highlights the transnational nature of ISIS-Somalia’s recruitment and operations.