Islamic State – Somalia Province

Islamic State – Somalia Province or Abnaa ul-Calipha is an affiliate of the Islamic State that primarily operates in the mountainous regions of Puntland, northern Somalia, and has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks across the country. The group first appeared in the latter half of 2015 when pro-Islamic State fighters within al-Shabaab defected and pledged allegiance to IS caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Led by Sheikh Abdul Qadir Mumin, the group has an estimated 500-700 fighters.

ISS remained dormant for a year after its founding but gained attention in 2016 by briefly capturing the port of Qandala. It controls a small, sparsely populated area in northern Somalia’s mountains and was officially recognized by IS leadership as Somalia Province ("Wilayat al Somal") in December 2017. While cells have periodically appeared in southern Somalia and Kenya, the primary area of operations for ISS is the Al-Madow and Golis Mountains in Puntland, where the presence of both al-Shabaab and state authorities is weak.

ISS is mainly based on a single clan, namely the Majeerteen subclan Ali Saleebaan, which inhabits the districts of Qandala and Iskushuban in Puntland, and which is the subclan that Mumin belongs to. As of September 2024, foreign fighters possibly outnumber the groups Somali members, with Ethiopians reportedly being the single largest demographic represented within the organization. Notably ISS is also the declared enemy of al-Shabaab, which considers the Islamic State a significant threat to its own predominance among Jihadist factions in Somalia.

Since December 2024, Islamic State in Somalia (ISS) has escalated its operations, shifting from sporadic low-level activity to launching sustained offensives against Puntland security forces. This strategic shift has marked a new phase in the group's insurgency, with an increasing number of attacks being executed in quick succession. Many of these operations have been claimed by the Islamic State’s central media apparatus, indicating a closer alignment between ISS and IS Central. These attacks have included ambushes, targeted killings, and coordinated assaults on military outposts, signaling both a rise in operational capacity and a renewed effort to undermine Puntland’s control in contested regions.