The semi-autonomous region of Puntland has announced plans for a major offensive aimed at combating the growing Islamic State (ISIS) insurgency in Somalia’s mountainous north, Bloomberg reports.
The terrorist group, which has more than doubled in size this year, has reportedly amassed up to 1,200 fighters in the Bari mountains east of the Puntland capital, Bosaso. The US military has expressed concern about ISIS’s expanding presence in the region.
“It’s a huge threat, and Puntland intends to dislodge it from its hideouts once and for all,” said Mohamed Mubarak, head of the Puntland Security Coordination Office, in a statement on Wednesday.
Led by Abdulkadir Mumin, ISIS in Somalia is believed to be a major financial and operational hub for the global terror network. According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), the group raises funds through extortion and gold mining in Bari, and handles money transfers for various ISIS cells outside Somalia.
The offensive comes amid growing international concerns about ISIS’s resurgence in Somalia. The group has carried out several attacks in recent months, including an ambush on Somali security forces in February that killed 14 troops.
Puntland, one of Somalia’s six federal states, declared autonomy in 1998 but has not sought international recognition as an independent state. The region holds significant oil resources, estimated at at least a billion barrels.
