Focus on Africa Africa Eye: Somali soldiers fighting IS
Mar 16, 2026
Sahanun Ahmed, a BBC Africa Eye reporter who embedded with Puntland Defence Forces in Somalia, gives frontline accounts from the Al-Miskaad mountains. She describes harsh mountain camps and the fight against Islamic State fighters. The conversation also covers rising irregular migration from Egypt, smuggler networks on social media, and shifting Mediterranean routes.
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Somalia Is A Strategic ISIS Hub Not A Large Fighting Force
- ISIS in Somalia is a small but strategic hub that coordinates global networks rather than mass local forces.
- Sahanun Ahmed reports up to 800 fighters, many foreign, using Puntland as a training and facilitation base for attacks across Africa and beyond.
Frontline Soldiers Endure Harsh Mountain Conditions
- Frontline Puntland soldiers live in makeshift camps with no running water or electricity while fighting in barren Al-Miskad mountains.
- Sahanun Ahmed describes meeting Muna Ali Dahir, a two-year officer and mother of eight who hasn't seen her children for over a year.
Young Soldier Abdakhir Vows To Clear The Land
- Young recruits like Abdakhir joined with personal commitment despite growing up during ISIS's rise; some captured fighters alive.
- Abdakhir, who was 16 when ISIS emerged, vows to continue until every fighter is captured.