ISIS-linked militants in Somalia sighted as they swear allegiance to new Emir

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Photos of small groups of ISIS-linked militants paying allegiance to the new core Emir have emerged, with the group now saying they seek to expand their scope of operations in the country.

ISIS's Somalia branch has strained to make an impact in the country with their activities getting thwarted by the Puntland Security forces who have managed to block the militants in the Bari mountains from advancing.

The militants are mainly located in Puntland where they have been training and at times waging mild attacks. In fact, they have been facing Al-Shabaab whom they have been at loggerheads over dominance and supremacy.

Photos posted by the group showed very small groups showing a number of the militants pledging allegiance [bay'a] on camera to the new ISIS Core amir, Abu al-Hussein al-Qurashi. Interestingly, there was no sighting of Abdiqadir Mu'min [Abd al-Qadir Mu'min], the leader of the group.

It is not clear whether factions have started emerging in the ISIS-Somalia, but such claims cannot be dismissed given the modus operandi of the militant groups across the world. In most cases, top leadership experiences divisions over management and execution of action plans.

Their Al-Shabaab counterparts are currently facing power struggles with the head of Amniyat Intelligence wing and finance Mahad Karate strategizing on toppling the current leader Abu Ubaidah who is believed to be struggling with an undisclosed illness.

Insiders say Mahad Karate is having serious differences with Abu Ubaidah over the allocation of resources within the group which is dominant in central and southern Somalia. This comes as the government of Somalia and the US are blocking Al-Shabaab's revenue sources.

The government is also fighting the groups by shaping ideological courses by preaching against violent extremism by involving clerics.

To make this effective, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has co-opted former deputy leader Mukhtar Robow into government as Religious Affairs and Endowment Minister.

GAROWE ONLINE