Friday September 12, 2025
Garowe (HOL) — Security forces in Puntland have arrested
several soldiers and officers accused of leaving the frontlines in the
Calmiskaat mountains of Bari region with weapons seized during battles against
ISIS.
The arrests were carried out in Garowe, the administrative
capital of Puntland, according to security officials who spoke to HOL.
Authorities said the detained men were not officially part
of Puntland’s army but operated under the command of a former officer who now
leads a clan militia.
During the ongoing fight against ISIS in the Bari mountains,
Puntland has repeatedly warned that any weapons captured from the militants
must remain on the battlefield. Officials say the practice of removing arms
from combat zones undermines discipline and weakens the effectiveness of
counter-ISIS operations.
Recently, the Bari regional police chief accused some
soldiers, selected on tribal grounds, of obstructing operations and using
checkpoints to seize weapons for themselves.
Despite the internal challenges, Puntland forces continue to
make gains in the mountainous areas where ISIS fighters remain entrenched.