Puntland Intelligence Agency

Puntland Intelligence Agency
Hay’ada Sirdoonka Buntlaand
وكالة الاستخبارات بونتلاند
Agency overview
Formed 2001
Preceding agencies
  • Puntland Intelligence Service (2001-2010)
  • Puntland Intelligence Agency (2010-present)
Jurisdiction Somalia
Headquarters Bosaso Puntland, Somalia
Employees Classified
Annual budget Classified
Agency executive
  • Colonel Ali Mahamad Yusuf (Binge), Director General
Parent agency National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).

The Puntland Intelligence Agency (Somali: Hay’ada Sirdoonka Buntlaand, Arabic: وكالة الاستخبارات بونتلاند‎‎) is an intelligence agency based in Puntland, Somalia. It was officially established in 2001 as Puntland Intelligence Service during the rule of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, with assistance from the United States.[1] The agency operates throughout Somalia, but principally in the autonomous Puntland region, where it serves as the main intelligence and counter-terrorism wing of the Puntland Security Force.[2]

The agency took the name Puntland Intelligence Agency in 2010 after undergoing extensive reform to streamline it to work side by side with other government agencies across Somalia. These reforms were instituted by former Puntland President Abdirahman Farole.[3]

Contemporary history

Then known as Puntland Intelligence Service, the PIS was founded in 2001 with help from the United States Intelligence Community to act as a buffer against possible Islamist movements. Its responsibilities include surveillance, investigation and arrest of suspected terrorists; monitoring of ports and airports; protection of foreigners.[4]

It has led the fight against Al-Qaeda in Galgala, Puntland known as the Galgala Campaign.[5] On February 26th 2012, the self-proclaimed leader of the Galgala militants reaffirmed their allegiance with Al-Qaeda.[6] The Puntland Intelligence Agency is trained and supported by US counter-terrorism agencies via their branches in Djibouti and is currently the strongest armed wing of Puntland's security apparatus.[5][7]

References

  1. ↑ "Somalia: Puntland's Govt Blasts VOA Report As 'Appeasing Al Shabaab'". Garowe Online. allAfrica.
  2. ↑ "NSNL 136 - Intelligence profle : Somalia". Cvno.net. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Puntland First Anniversary Report 2009".
  4. ↑ Lovelace, Douglas C. (2008). Terrorism Documents of International and Local Control. New York: Oxford Univ Pr. p. 531. ISBN 0195382781.
  5. 1 2 "Militant Leadership Monitor Volume 1 Issue 9". Dataspace Princeton. The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Forbes". Specials.forbes.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Somalia: Somaliland is Becoming Africa's 'Terrorism Secret'". allAfrica. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/6/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.