Somalia: Puntland Says It Received No International Funding in Six-Month Battle Against ISIS

GAROWE, Somalia, May 5 – Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region said Monday it has received no financial support from the international community in its six-month-long military campaign against the Islamic State group entrenched in the Cal Miskaad mountains of the Bari region.

Puntland Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor announced that the only external assistance so far has come in the form of airstrikes targeting ISIS militants. The Somali government has not also given Puntland any assistance in the war against ISIS due to political fallout. 

"The international community hasn’t contributed a single dollar to our fight against ISIS,” Lugatoor said. “We believe this is one of the toughest counter-terrorism battles in Somalia.”

He noted that Puntland has allocated a portion of its own budget to fund the military operation, which he said reflects the region’s commitment to both combating terrorism and maintaining essential public services, including salaries and governance.

Lugatoor also acknowledged the critical role of the Somali diaspora, who he said have donated millions of dollars in support of the offensive. Local clans have also contributed food and livestock to sustain the effort.

Despite the lack of foreign funding, the Puntland government has declared it will launch a new military operation named Onkod (“Thunder”) targeting Al-Shabaab fighters believed to be hiding in the Calmadow mountains, further east of Cal Miskaad.

GAROWE ONLINE