GAROWE (SD) – Puntland forces have initiated a large-scale operation in the Bari region’s mountains to drive out ISIS fighters. President Said Abdullahi Deni, who has been in the region for some time organizing the campaign, is leading the effort.

Reliable reports indicate that President Deni has granted amnesty to individuals accused of ties to ISIS, some of whom had been held in prisons in Bosaso for an extended period.

The amnesty specifically targets individuals from the Bari region of Puntland who were detained on allegations of either being members of the ISIS group in the Bari mountains or having connections with its members.

President Deni ordered the release of these detainees, as there was insufficient evidence to directly prove their membership in ISIS. Instead, they were accused of engaging in transactions or having associations with the group.

Emerging reports also suggest that several members of ISIS have defected in recent days, most of whom are said to be men from the Bari region.