Somalia’s ISIS affiliate vows support for the group’s new leader

Somalia’s Islamic State affiliate, one of the most important outposts of the militant group, swore allegiance in a statement on Sunday to the new leader named by the organization following the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Somalia’s ISIS leaders posted pictures on Telegram of around a dozen fighters standing among trees, with a caption saying they were pledging allegiance to Quraishi.

Quraishi was named as the organization’s leader on Thursday in an audio message that also confirmed Baghdadi’s death and vowed revenge against the United States. U.S. special forces killed Baghdadi in a raid in northwest Syria.

ISIS terrorists in Somalia have been stationed at the Golis Mountain region, of Puntland state North-Eastern parts of the country.

The Golis Mountains in Puntland are a known area for terrorist activity.  Precision airstrikes by the US AFRICA Command have supported Somali security forces’ efforts to protect the Somali people from terrorists and support long-term security in the region.