JidbaalePuntland President Said Abdullahi Deni stated Thursday night that intelligence from a foreign government indicated that Daasaan, a strategically significant territory recently reclaimed by Puntland security forces from the Islamic State (ISIS), functioned as a crucial operational center for orchestrating terrorist acts globally.
Deni added that three towns liberated from ISIS—Sheeban, Daasaan, and Dhaadaar—were vital to the group’s efforts beyond Somalia. He highlighted that the menace presented by ISIS transcended Puntland and accentuated the region’s significance in combating the organization’s operations.
The president additionally said that Daasaan served as a crucial refuge for high-ranking ISIS officials seeking to escape targeted attacks. He stated that the terrorist organization has long aimed to capture Bosaso, the commercial center of Puntland, as part of its expansion goal.
Deni asserts that ISIS has been formulating significant strategies to destabilize Puntland in order to enhance its influence in the region.
The Puntland administration will initiate the third phase of its military operation against ISIS on Friday. Deni additionally declared a seven-day amnesty period for anybody wishing to surrender.
Puntland forces, assisted by the Somali federal government, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates, have achieved substantial successes against ISIS. This week, with the support of UAE aircraft, Puntland forces eliminated a minimum of 44 ISIS militants during a counterterrorism operation aimed at insurgent hideouts in the Al-Miskaad Mountains.
Somalia has experienced prolonged insecurity, mostly due to threats from the terrorist organizations al-Shabaab and ISIS.
