Puntland president says ISIS supporters have a week to surrender or be hunted down
The Puntland president thanked all countries that continue to help Puntland in the fight against ISIS, saying without their support Puntland and Somalia would not have succeeded.
Puntland State has given terrorism enablers hiding amongst the public in its regions a week to surrender to law enforcement agencies, failure to which they will be hunted down and charged for abetting terrorism, the state's president announced on Thursday.
Speaking from the coastal city of Bosasso, President Said Abdullahi Deni urged all those who ever did any business with ISIS or abetted them in any way to surrender before the state flushes them out. He warned that all terrorism abettors are known.
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He also announced the start of phase three of Operation Lightning in the rugged Almiskaad mountains and hopes it will be the last offensive against ISIS in which Puntland will end the Islamic State menace given the huge military victories so far.
"Those who aided ISIS, collected taxes for them, transported ISIS militants, accommodated them and opened companies in order to do business with ISIS, I want to give all those people a seven-day ultimatum to present themselves to law enforcement agencies and confirm they have stopped supporting ISIS, failure to which the state will take action against them because we know their names," said President Said.
He said some of those abetting terror are respected members of the society, including respected elders, religious leaders and entrepreneurs.
He promised that the state will likely forgive those who surrender and explain their roles and ask for forgiveness, saying Puntland wants lasting peace which can only be achieved by defeating terrorism.
Puntland forces have devised ways of transporting food, medicines and even weapons on top of camels in a bid to beat the ISIS militants at their own game. (Photo: Puntland State TV)
He also urged all foreigners still fighting for ISIS in Puntland to surrender within seven days, failure to which they will be hunted down and killed.
"We know amongst ISIS there are those who have their wives and we don't want to kill women and children. So please take advantage of the seven days’ amnesty and surrender, failure to which Puntland will take appropriate actions" he said.
The Puntland president said the fight against ISIS in the Almiskaad mountains is necessary as the group poses danger not only to Puntland, Somalia and Africa but to the entire world. He thanked the Puntland forces for capturing the biggest ISIS explosive factory.
Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni. He has given an ultimatum to people assisting ISIS militants to surrender. (Photo: Puntland State TV)
"Phase two ended with the capture yesterday of Dasaan, which was the operational ISIS base for East Africa and its worldwide explosives operation centre. Dasaan, Dadaar and Shebaab were the biggest ISIS explosive-making and training centres where they exported their terror including plotting attacks in America, Europe and in Asia and the Arab world which were planned here as their command centre was here," he added.
He thanked all countries that continue to help Puntland in the fight against ISIS, saying without their support Puntland and Somalia would not have succeeded.
With the Almiskaad mountains having difficult terrains, Puntland forces have devised ways of transporting food, medicines and even weapons on top of camels in a bid to beat the ISIS militants at their own game.
"I want to thank all the countries that have helped us in this war against ISIS starting with the UAE which played the biggest role, the US, Ethiopia and Kenya who shared intelligence and material support to help us succeed in this war. We thank them all for their various roles and support," the president said.
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