Puntland forces have arrested over twenty suspected al Shabaab fighters in a major crackdown in Bosaso town. The operation was conducted in villages of Bosaso town, the commercial hub of the region, following the assassination of a military officer.
The detainees are being held in police custody as investigations take place to determine the individual roles played by the militants in aid and carrying out activities for and on behalf of the terror organization.
The resurgence is particularly notable in Puntland, a semi-autonomous part of northern Somalia where al-Shabaab has for a long time maintained a limited presence. The faction operational in the region swore allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror organization in the Middle East.
Significantly, over the last year, al-Shabaab has steadily intensified the tempo of its operations in the area, indicating the group is focusing its efforts on expanding its presence and influence in Puntland.
