Wednesday March 19, 2025
Bosaso (HOL) — Puntland authorities have denied allegations that a former Islamic State (ISIS) militant who died in custody this week was killed while imprisoned, insisting his death was due to natural causes.
Abdirahman Shirwac Said Lahore, who had surrendered to Puntland authorities after being linked to ISIS operations in Somalia, was found dead Tuesday in a prison in Bosaso, the capital of the Bari region. Officials say he had previously been sentenced to death for his involvement in the killings of over 100 people.
Bari Governor Abdirisak Ali Ismail Shaahdoon, citing a medical report from a local hospital, said Lahore’s death resulted from multiple organ failure, including complications with his liver, heart, lungs, and kidneys, as well as severe hypertension.
“Lahore was not executed in prison. His body showed no signs of external trauma,” Shaahdoon said at a press conference. “He was a criminal convicted of mass killings. He did not surrender seeking justice—he had nowhere left to hide. The people he murdered deserve justice.”
Lahore’s family, however, has accused Puntland authorities of mistreating him in detention and denying him a fair trial. They have demanded that his body not be buried by the government and instead be handed over to his relatives.
Lahore was among a group of ISIS fighters who had surrendered to Puntland security forces in recent years. Puntland has been engaged in an ongoing battle against ISIS and Al-Shabaab militants operating in the region.
