Puntland President Vows to End Business Payments to ISIS, Warns of Crackdown

Wednesday March 12, 2025

Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni addresses business leaders during a meeting in Bosaso on March 12, 2025. 

Garowe (HOL) — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has declared that businesses in the region will no longer be allowed to claim coercion as an excuse for financing the Islamic State (ISIS), warning that his administration will crack down on any payments made to the militant group.

Speaking Wednesday in Bosaso to a gathering of business leaders, Deni said Puntland security forces had dismantled key extortion networks that ISIS had used to intimidate traders. He stressed that the government would not tolerate any justification for supporting the group.

"No businessperson will have the excuse to say, 'I was forced, they took money from me,'" Deni said. "Everyone must understand that such pressure no longer exists. In the past, some claimed they were being called from the mountains by their own relatives demanding payments. That excuse will not be accepted anymore."

The president urged business leaders to reinvest in Puntland's economy, emphasizing the need for recovery from the financial toll inflicted by ISIS. He noted that some entrepreneurs had fled the country due to security concerns but encouraged them to return and contribute to rebuilding efforts.

Puntland has been a key battleground in Somalia's fight against militant groups. While al-Shabab has long dominated Somalia's insurgency, ISIS has carved out a presence in parts of Puntland, relying on extortion and intimidation to finance its operations.

Deni added that his government was taking steps to ensure businesses could operate without fear of militant threats.