Puntland forces have reported arresting the driver to the emir of the Abnaa Ul Calipha the Islamic State official Wilayat in Somalia. The driver was arrested among other terrorists in a series of operations against IS-Somalia in Puntland State.
The operations took place in Isku Shuban, Toga Jaceyl, Toga Canjeel, and Dooha-Gabin, and weapons, as well as vehicles, were recovered. Puntland State has been battling with attacks from both ISS and Al Shabaab and as such the security sweeps are paramount to ensuring that the peace the state has enjoyed is preserved.
Further, the arrest comes as fighting between the two sides escalates in the Mudug region with al Shabaab fleeing to Bari. Bari villages have served as home to both al Shabaab and ISS which heightens tensions between the two groups with distinct ideological differences.
Abnaa Ul Calipha that is headquartered in mountainous northeastern Somalia is led by Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin, a former Al-Shabaab cleric who pledged his allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2015.
