A new report issued by the UAE political center has highlighted the growing threat from Puntland.
The expansion comes at a cost to rival Al-Shabaab, which is aligned with Al-Qaeda.
Reports say that Daesh has taken control of the strategic Al-Miskaad mountains from Al-Shabaab after years of fighting between the two sides.
“The expansion of Daesh in Puntland gives the group great publicity to bolster its efforts to recruit and attract foreign fighters,” said Ahmed Khalid, a counter-terrorism analyst at the UAE Policy Center and author of the report.
The report warns that Daesh’s gains in Puntland could complicate efforts to fight terrorism in Somalia as a whole, and could affect regional maritime security and the interests of international partners.
There are concerns that the group may be involved in piracy in Somali waters.
“The Puntland government should give priority to controlling the threat of ISIS spreading in the region,” said Khalid. “This can be achieved by increasing intelligence work and public participation, with the aim of preventing the deterioration of the security situation, disrupting the flow of funds to ISIS, and weakening its organizational links across borders.”
While the conflict between Daesh and Al-Shabaab is intensifying, the security situation in Puntland and the region as a whole is critical, according to the report, which may affect the stability of the region and the international war against terrorism.
