Tuesday May 20, 2025
Garowe (HOL) – Puntland security forces have killed Ahmed Muse Sidi, a senior leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) group, during a security operation in the Togga Miiraale area of the Bari region, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Abdifitax Mohamed Nur, Minister of State for the Presidency of Puntland, told BBC Somali that Ahmed Muse Sidi played a key role in recruiting members from local clans into ISIS and was wanted by Puntland and international security agencies for years due to his high-level activities threatening regional stability.
"This is a major blow to ISIS operations in Puntland. He was one of the group's most important figures in terms of recruitment and strategy," said the minister. "His death will significantly weaken their operational capacity."
According to Puntland officials, the targeted operation comes as part of a wider campaign launched in December 2024 to dismantle ISIS cells entrenched in the mountainous regions of northeastern Somalia. Ahmed Muse Sidi is the highest-ranking ISIS figure to be killed since the launch of this offensive.
Security experts say ISIS in Puntland has remained relatively small compared to Al-Shabaab but has maintained a presence in remote areas, occasionally clashing with government forces and rival militant groups.
Puntland authorities reaffirmed their commitment to continuing military pressure on ISIS and other extremist groups threatening peace and stability in the region.