Somalia: Puntland Forces Capture Turkish National in Anti-ISIS Operation in Bari Region

BOSASO, Somalia — Puntland’s Defense forces have captured a Turkish national during a counterterrorism operation in the Baalade valley of the Bari region, authorities said Wednesday, as part of the ongoing "Operation Hilaac" targeting ISIS militants in the Cal-Miskaad mountains.

The man, identified as Feyzul Hashim Suleyman, is the second Turkish citizen apprehended by Puntland security forces in less than two months. In June, another Turkish national, Hassan Ataar, was detained under similar circumstances.

According to Puntland security sources, two additional suspects — Emre Kemal Yılmaz and Aylin Derya Kaya — remain at large and are believed to be hiding in the rugged terrain of Cal-Miskaad.

Gen. Ahmed Abdullahi Sheikh, a senior Puntland military official, said the captured individuals are part of a network of Turkish ISIS fighters who fled their home country. Some, he noted, are believed to be former members of the Turkish military suspected of involvement in the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

“These fighters initially joined ISIS in Syria before being transferred to Somalia’s Cal-Miskaad region,” Gen. Sheikh said, adding that investigations are ongoing into possible links with international smuggling and terror networks, including alleged ties to the PKK.

Security experts warn that the arrests highlight the growing threat of foreign fighters moving across regions, reinforcing the need for stronger intelligence sharing and international counterterrorism cooperation.

In addition to the foreign suspect, Puntland forces also captured a Somali militant during Wednesday’s clashes in Baalade valley, where troops engaged in heavy fighting with ISIS operatives.

Operation Hilaac is currently in its fourth phase and aims to dismantle ISIS strongholds in northern Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE