“ISIS – Somalia”: How did it become an advanced fighting force with global funding and an increasing threat?

14th February 2025

2 minutes read

"ISIS - Somalia": How did it become an advanced fighting force with global funding and an increasing threat?

The Washington Post has revealed that ISIS is reorganizing its ranks in Somalia and has global ambitions after becoming the most advanced combat force, establishing a global terrorism hub in the Horn of Africa.

According to the United States and the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), the ISIS – Somalia branch has now become the organization’s new operational and financial center. Local officials estimate that it commands up to 1,000 fighters.

A large influx of foreign fighters into Somalia has led to the formation of a formidable force that now threatens Western targets. The group has also become a major funding source for other ISIS-affiliated factions worldwide, responsible for killing thousands of people, including U.S. soldiers, according to UN investigators.

President Donald Trump ordered the first airstrike of his presidency on February 1 against senior ISIS leaders in northern Somalia. Apart from this strike, the Trump administration has provided no details on its plans for Somalia.

AFRICOM stated that it is unable to comment on future policy. Despite decades of U.S. support for the government in Mogadishu, Somalia remains a fragmented state where political divisions have hindered efforts to reclaim large areas of the south from the extremist group Al-Shabaab, which is allied with Al-Qaeda. This instability has recently allowed ISIS to establish a foothold in the north.

The newspaper also noted that ISIS in Somalia split from Al-Shabaab in 2015. According to the U.S. military, its secretive leader, Abdulqadir Mumin, is now considered the global caliph of ISIS.

In its early days, the Somali branch received foreign funds, but it quickly found its own sources of revenue, extorting millions of dollars annually from local businesses. Those who resisted were targeted with firebombs, according to the newspaper.

The group’s regional financial office transfers funds to militants across multiple areas and countries, ranging from Turkey to South Africa, according to U.S. officials and UN investigators.

In conclusion, The Washington Post highlights that ISIS in Somalia has become a more advanced combat force, employing suicide drones, long-range snipers, and explosives, while carrying out suicide attacks targeting high-profile military and political figures.