Tuesday February 25, 2025

Garowe (HOL) – Puntland regional administration is providing direct support to local militia forces known as Ma’awisley, who have mobilized to defend recently liberated areas from ISIS militants in the Al-Miskaat Mountains. 

Speaking about the ongoing military operation, Puntland’s counter-ISIS operation spokesman, Gen. Mahmoud Fadhigo, stated that the Ma’awisley militias—composed mainly of local pastoralists—had long suffered under ISIS, which forcibly seized their livestock. 

“The Puntland administration is committed to supporting these local forces to secure their areas and protect them from terrorist threats,” General Fadhigo said. 

The Ma’awisley militia is expected to play a key role in maintaining security in collaboration with Puntland security forces. 

Puntland forces, aided by the Somali federal government, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have recently intensified counterterrorism efforts against ISIS in the region. This week, UAE-backed airstrikes helped Puntland forces eliminate at least 44 ISIS militants in an operation targeting insurgent hideouts in the Al-Miskaat Mountains. 

For years, Somalia has faced persistent insecurity, with Al-Shabaab and ISIS posing significant threats to stability.