Senior ISIS leader surrenders to Puntland forces near Qandala

A senior leader of the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS) branch has surrendered to security forces in Puntland state, marking a major setback for the group as Somali regional authorities intensify efforts to dismantle its operational networks.

Abdirahman Shoroo, known as “Lahur,” surrendered to security personnel in the Onon area near the coastal town of Qandala. Lahur was the head of ISIS’s planned assassinations and was previously sentenced to death by a military court in Puntland in June 2022.

His surrender comes as Puntland intensifies its military campaign against ISIS militants holed up in the mountainous Alamskad region. The offensive, backed by U.S. airstrikes, seeks to dismantle the group’s command structure and eliminate key leaders.

A spokesman for Puntland’s security forces described Lahur’s surrender as a strategic milestone in their fight against the militant group. “His capture will disrupt ISIS’s ability to plan and carry out targeted killings in the region,” the spokesman said, noting that Lahur’s role as a key decision maker in assassinations made him a prime target.

Lahur was sentenced to death in June 2022 by a military court in Puntland after being convicted of masterminding deadly attacks in Bosaso, Puntland’s main commercial hub. The court ruled that he led a local ISIS cell responsible for a series of bombings and targeted killings that terrorized the city.