Shadow War: Islamic State Group In Africa
Africa Eye follows Puntland forces in Somalia in their fight against Islamic State group.
In the mountains of far-eastern Somalia, a mother of eight prepares for battle.
Muna Ali Dahir is an officer in the Puntland Defence Forces. For more than a year she has been fighting militants linked to the Islamic State group. Each morning, before heading back to the front line, she calls her children to let them know she is safe.
Africa Eye embeds with Puntland Defence Forces as they push into remote valleys and caves where IS fighters have entrenched themselves. Soldiers describe capturing foreign recruits who travelled to Somalia to join the group. Puntland commanders say this branch has grown into one of IS’s most significant operational hubs in Africa.
In recently liberated villages, residents recount life under militant rule, describing the fear, disappearances and killings that still haunt families. Communities are slowly rebuilding, but the scars remain.
The impact of the fighting reaches far beyond Somalia’s borders. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has described the continent as a key battleground in the fight against the extremist group. American airstrikes have targeted IS militants in Puntland’s mountains. AFRICOM officials warn that IS’s network in Somalia now plays a central role in its operations across Africa, and that 90% of IS revenues are now generated from the continent.
As Puntland forces prepare for what it hopes will be a decisive offensive, Africa Eye follows soldiers on the front line, asking whether Somalia has become a critical front in IS’s global ambitions.
