Wife of Somali ISIS Leader Speaks Out Amid Ongoing Military Operations

 Wife of Somali ISIS Leader Speaks Out Amid Ongoing Military Operations

London – Monia Abdali, the wife of Somali ISIS leader Abdul Qadir Mu’min, has spoken publicly for the first time about her husband’s whereabouts and activities. Residing in the United Kingdom, Abdali is raising their three children while remaining largely in the dark about her husband’s movements and global extremist mission.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Abdali revealed that Mu’min left her and their young children without informing them of his destination or plans. “He left us. What can I say? I haven’t seen or heard from him in over ten years,” she said. She added that while the children are aware of their father, they have no contact with him, making it difficult to explain his activities and location to them.

The revelations come amid reports that Mu’min remains in hiding in the Al-Maiskad mountains of Puntland, Somalia, where intensive operations are being carried out by both regional forces and U.S. special forces. His continued evasion underscores the challenges authorities face in dismantling the extremist network in the region.

On November 25, U.S. special forces targeted ISIS bases in the Biladi Valley, carrying out precision drone strikes using MQ-9 Reaper drones. The operation reportedly killed a senior ISIS official and 15 foreign fighters from Syria, Turkey, and Ethiopia. These actions reflect the ongoing international effort to weaken ISIS’s presence in Somalia and prevent the group from regrouping.

Abdul Qadir Mu’min initially returned to Somalia from the United Kingdom and joined Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate. However, in 2015, he split from Al-Shabaab and pledged allegiance to ISIS, eventually becoming the leader of its Somali branch. Since then, his faction has faced sustained military campaigns in the mountainous regions of the Bari province in Puntland, highlighting the strategic importance of these areas in counterterrorism operations.

The interview with Abdali also sheds light on the personal impact of global terrorism on families. While military operations target armed militants, the emotional toll on spouses and children left behind is profound, raising questions about the human cost of extremist activities beyond the battlefield.

As Somali and international forces continue to pursue ISIS members in Puntland, the story of Mu’min and his family illustrates the complex interplay between global terrorism, regional security, and the personal lives affected by decades of conflict. The ongoing operations aim not only to eliminate key leaders but also to restore stability to communities long affected by extremist violence.