A senior commander of ISIL (ISIS) in Somalia has been apprehended, according to police and state media, as security forces persist in their weeks-long offensive against the organization.
Abdirahman Shirwac Aw-Saciid, who led the group’s assassination unit, surrendered to authorities on Monday in the Cal Miskaad mountains located in northeastern Puntland, as reported by Somalia’s state news agency SONNA.
His capture occurred just two days after U.S. airstrikes targeted ISIL leadership within the country.
In recent years, the ISIL faction in Somalia has become a more significant component of the group’s global network, bolstered by an influx of foreign fighters and enhanced revenue generation.
During a military base assault in December, the group claimed to have deployed two explosive-laden vehicles, indicating a shift towards more advanced operational tactics, according to security analysts.
On Monday, Abdikadir Jama Dirir, the police chief of Puntland’s Bari region, confirmed the arrest of Aw-Saciid, also known as “Laahoor,” who was responsible for extorting local businesses on behalf of the group.
An initial evaluation of the U.S. airstrikes conducted on Saturday suggested that numerous fighters were killed, as stated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday. He noted that these air raids significantly impaired ISIL’s capacity to plan and execute attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump praised the military action, stating, “These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they inhabit and eliminated many terrorists without harming civilians in any way.”
Until recently, ISIL’s presence in Somalia was viewed as a minor security concern compared to al-Shabab, which dominates large areas of southern Somalia.
Somali authorities are facing challenges in reestablishing control after more than three decades of civil conflict.
