Puntland State denies SNA operation, presence in areas under its control

Garowe(Mogadishu24)-Puntland State has on Monday denied that the Somali National Army(SNA) carried out Security operation at Cal Madow area in Sanaag region under its control, describing the statement by the Federal Ministry of Information regarding this to be baseless.

Minister of Information for Puntland State, Mohamud Aidid Dirir said in a statement that Somali forces forces have no presence in Puntland State and there was no operation conducted in the region, informing people in Puntland as well as Somalis in general and the world to the matter.

“Puntland State works on its own security, Puntland Defense Forces are stationed in Cal Madow area, therefore, there are no SNA forces operating in Puntland State. Puntland State stand for eradicating terrorists in the country”, Dirir said in a statement.

This comment comes a day after the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia said in a statement that over 20 IS militants including three senior commander were on Sunday killed and others injured after Somali forces and its International Partners conducted joint operation at Cal Modow area in Sanaag region under Puntland State.

” The Somali Government and its International Partners successfully thwarted the group’s plot against the public. The Government is committed to completing the offensive operation against the terrorists”, said the statement.

Deputy Minister of information, Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala said in a radio interview that the Al-Shabaab militants, who were defeated in Hirshabelle and Galmudug States, fled to areas under Puntland State and they were pursuing them.

The IS or Al-Shabaab did not comment on the latest military operation in the region so far.