The Puntland Security Force (PSF) has apprehended two ISIS foreign nationals who they claim survived a U.S. airstrike that took place in northeastern Somalia last week.
The two men, identified as Imraan Mohamed Alawi and Mabruuk Nassor Saidi, are from Tanzania.
The arrests were made on Saturday, following a joint airstrike carried out by Somali and U.S. forces last week.
The security forces arrested the men approximately 30 km away from the area where the bombing took place, in a remote region near Dhaardaar, about 81 km southeast of Bosaso.
The so-called ISIS wing in Somalia has its main base in the Puntland region, northeastern Somalia, and has occasionally clashed with Puntland forces and al-Shabab militants. The apprehension of these two foreign nationals highlights the ongoing efforts by the Puntland security forces to combat the threat of terrorism in the region.
According to a statement from the PSF, the security forces arrested the men following a tip-off and subsequent pursuit, after the joint airstrike had killed three Islamic State (IS)-Somalia fighters in the same remote area.
This latest development comes as the Puntland region continues to grapple with the presence of the ISIS-affiliated group, which has established a stronghold in the northeastern part of Somalia.
The capture of these two Tanzanian nationals, who are believed to have survived the deadly U.S. airstrike, underscores the determination of the Puntland Security Force to disrupt and dismantle the terror network operating within their jurisdiction.
