Monday June 30, 2025
Bosaso (HOL) — A group of wounded Puntland army personnel
who fought against ISIS militants in the Al-Miskaad Mountains of the Bari
region have accused the Puntland Military Support Committee of misappropriating
funds meant for their medical care.
On Sunday, the injured soldiers left hospitals in Bosaso,
claiming they could no longer endure the poor conditions and lack of support.
Speaking to local media, the troops said they had been abandoned by the
government and that hospitals had ceased providing free treatment due to unpaid
costs.
They alleged that money raised by Puntland residents —
particularly those in the diaspora — to support injured soldiers had been
misused for private interests by officials within the committee tasked with
overseeing the care of wounded servicemen.
“The government has turned its back on us,” one soldier
said. “The funds donated by our people were meant to treat the wounded, but we
are now left without care or dignity.”
A delegation led by Puntland’s First Deputy Speaker of
Parliament, Mohamed Baari Shire, met with the injured soldiers in an attempt to
defuse tensions. The officials promised that their concerns would be addressed
and that steps were being taken to restore their medical support.
Puntland forces have been engaged in a protracted operation
against ISIS militants in the rugged Al-Miskaad Mountains for over six months.
The offensive has resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of soldiers
and officers.
Families of injured soldiers say many have been permanently
disabled and are now living in hardship due to the lack of government support.
Diaspora communities have contributed millions of dollars in
donations to assist wounded troops, but the allegations have sparked widespread
concern over the transparency and accountability of how those funds are
managed.