

PRESS RELEASE

Garowe, Puntland State (16th March 2016 ): The Office of the Puntland Defense Forces, wishes to clarify that a weary force of armed militia temporarily accessed and utilized the natural port of Gara’ad town,Jariban district in Mudug region.

This seaborne militia surprisingly managed to travel by sea and elude detection from the international naval flotilla mandated to patrol and secure the maritime lanes off the Puntland coastline.

PDF military intelligence on the ground in Gara’ad town reported that the armed groups alleged that they were Al Shabaab and restricted resident’s access to the harbor area as they received supplies from unidentified vessels on the Indian Ocean.

The Puntland Defense Forces with the support of the Puntland people have fought and crushed recurrent insurgencies wielded by terrorists since 1992. The Puntland Defense forces reassure the people of Puntland State of capability and continued commitment to defend the Puntland jurisdiction from any threat.

The PDF appreciates the thousands of volunteers who have mobilized themselves and submitted their allegiance to the PDF’s unified response to this emerging threat.

The emerging threat seeks strategic placement and threatens regional, maritime and global security. If the militant groups’ access to the strategic coastline in Puntland prevails, there will be a connection

between Somalia and Yemeni-based terror networks, thus strengthening the viability of insurgencies in Yemen, and Somalia.

We recommend regional and international collaboration to secure the safety of civilians in neighboring countries and international maritime shipping lanes.

More information about the new developments will be provided from PDF field reports as they progress.

The Puntland Defense Forces is a combined defense authority mandated to protect and defend the Puntland State of Somalia. The PDF began the first fight against terrorism and has maintained the longest terrorism struggle without any major international support for over 2 decades.

Horseed Media.