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Somalia’s Defense Minister, Ahmed Moallin Fiqi, says the country’s new E-Visa system has sharply reduced the ability of ISIS fighters to enter the country and reach the remote Calmiskaad mountains in the northeast, an area where the group has maintained a foothold for years. Speaking on Saturday, Fiqi said that since the digital visa system was introduced, not a single ISIS member has managed to enter Somalia to join the militants in the mountain ranges of Bari region. He described the shift as a major success for Somalia’s security efforts, especially compared to previous years when foreign fighters, mostly from Arab countries, frequently used airports in Puntland and Somaliland to travel into the country.
For a long time, ISIS fighters relied on Somalia’s loosely regulated entry points to move through regional airports and eventually make their way to the Calmiskaad highlands, where the terrain is difficult for security forces to access. According to Fiqi, security officers used to seize groups of passports in the Puntland mountains, most belonging to foreigners who were believed to be traveling with the intention of joining ISIS cells. This steady flow, he said, helped the militants maintain their presence in the region despite ongoing military pressure. Today, however, the minister says that flow has stopped entirely. He credited the new E-Visa system for closing gaps that foreign fighters had exploited for years. “Not a single terrorist has boarded a plane since the implementation of the E-Visa. ISIS is finished,” he said.
The new E-Visa was introduced as part of a broader effort to modernize Somalia’s border controls and strengthen national security. It requires all travelers entering the country to obtain a digital visa prior to arrival, which allows authorities to verify identities and screen individuals more effectively. Fiqi emphasized that the system is not meant to restrict the movement of ordinary Somalis, including those living in Puntland and Somaliland. Instead, he said, it ensures the federal government knows who is entering the country and for what purpose, reducing the chances that militants or other dangerous actors can slip in unnoticed.
Despite the federal government’s confidence in the system, the rollout of the E-Visa has created new political tensions. Puntland and Somaliland have both rejected the implementation, arguing that the federal government is overstepping its authority by imposing the procedure on their airports. They insist they will not comply with the new requirements, framing the E-Visa as a political move rather than a security necessity. Their resistance reflects long-standing disagreements between Mogadishu and regional authorities over control, autonomy, and governance. Fiqi’s remarks highlight this friction, even as he insists the digital system is essential for Somalia’s national security.
The dispute adds to the already complex relationship between Somalia’s federal government and its regional states. While Mogadishu views the E-Visa as a crucial upgrade that can block militants from exploiting weak border systems, Puntland and Somaliland fear the move could undermine their administrative independence. These concerns have made it difficult to implement national reforms that require cooperation across different parts of the country. Still, the federal government argues that modernizing border security is a shared responsibility that benefits everyone, especially at a time when militant groups are constantly seeking new ways to move across borders.
Fiqi’s statement underscores how digital reforms can affect both national security and political relationships. While he portrayed the E-Visa as a major victory against ISIS, he also acknowledged the broader challenge of getting all regions to support a unified approach. As Somalia continues its efforts to stabilize the country and limit the influence of extremist groups, the success of systems like the E-Visa will depend not only on technology but on cooperation between the federal government and regional administrations.