GAROWE (KAAB TV) – Security forces in Somalia’s Puntland State have apprehended seven individuals believed to be members of Al-Shabaab or ISIS, along with a shipment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) being transported into the country, local security source said on Monday.
The suspects were detained after an intelligence revealed they were transporting weapons.
A senior official from Puntland’s security forces, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the seized drones are five Kamikaze drones, which are suspected to have been imported from Yemen.
The interception occurred on a truck traveling between Galkayo and Garowe early on Monday, Puntland’s capital.
Security officials noted that the drones likely entered Puntland through Bosaso, the state’s primary port city on the Red Sea.
This comes as security forces in Bosaso have recently intensified counter-terrorism operations in the region.
“The seven suspects and the drones hidden in the truck were en route to Galkayo when they were apprehended,” the security source said.
Following the truck’s interception, officers conducting further investigations discovered the five drones, which are now in the custody of Puntland’s security forces.
The official did not provide additional details about the ongoing investigation.
Loitering munitions, commonly known as suicide drones or Kamikaze drones, are relatively new to combat zones but are increasingly used by various actors, including Russia, Ukraine, and the Houthis in Yemen.
These drones are known for their ability to evade radar detection and carry out targeted strikes.
In late July, Bosaso security officials reported the seizure of a significant number of illegal weapons during an operation in the port city.
The weapons are believed to have been smuggled from Yemen into Puntland, further highlighting the region’s ongoing security challenges.