A senior commander of Islamic State’s (IS) Somalia faction was captured on Monday, according to police and state media reports. This comes just two days after U.S. airstrikes targeted IS leadership, as Somali security forces continue their weeks-long offensive against the group.
In recent years, IS-Somalia has grown in influence, bolstered by an influx of foreign fighters and an enhanced revenue collection system. The group has also adopted more sophisticated attack tactics, as seen in a December military base assault, where they reportedly used two booby-trapped vehicles.
Abdirahman Shirwac Aw-Saciid, the leader of IS-Somalia’s assassination squad, surrendered to authorities in the Cal Miskaad mountains in Puntland state, Somalia’s state news agency (SONNA) reported.
The head of police in Puntland’s Bari region, Abdikadir Jama Dirir, confirmed the capture of the commander, who is also known by the alias “Laahoor” and was responsible for extorting local businesses to fund IS operations.
Since December, Puntland’s security forces have launched a major offensive against both IS-Somalia and its rival group, Al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Authorities claim to have captured several IS bases in the process.
On Saturday, the U.S. conducted airstrikes targeting IS-Somalia militants, and according to an initial assessment by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, many militants were killed in the strikes.
For years, Al-Shabaab has been the dominant extremist group in Somalia, but IS-Somalia is gaining ground, particularly in Puntland. Somali authorities continue to struggle with instability, as the country remains in turmoil more than three decades after the fall of President Siad Barre.
