Somalia reports zero ISIS entries since e-visa launch amid regional backlash

Somalia says E-Visa has choked ISIS travel pipeline

Somalia’s defense minister says a new national E-Visa system has sharply curtailed the movement of ISIS fighters into the country’s northeast, where the group has long maintained a foothold in the Calmiskaad mountains. Ahmed Moallin Fiqi said that since the digital visa rollout, no foreign ISIS members have entered Somalia to join militants in the remote range. The statement underscores Mogadishu’s bid to tighten border controls after years of porosity exploited by extremist networks.

• Fiqi linked the drop directly to the E-Visa, saying “not a single terrorist has boarded a plane” since its implementation.
• The Calmiskaad mountains in Bari region have served as a rugged hideout for a small but persistent ISIS presence.
• Officials have long cited airports in Puntland State and North Western State of Somalia as transit points for foreign militants.

How the digital system is meant to work

Authorities say the E-Visa centralizes screening and identification before travelers board flights to Somalia, reducing opportunities for militants to slip in with fraudulent or lightly checked documents. The digital shift is part of a broader effort to modernize border management while maintaining legitimate travel and commerce.

• Pre-travel vetting is intended to enhance identity verification of all entrants.
• The government frames the system as a national security tool rather than a restriction on ordinary movement in federal member states.
• Officials say the goal is to close long-exploited gaps in Somalia’s entry points.

Regional resistance exposes political rifts

Puntland State and North Western State of Somalia have publicly rejected the E-Visa rollout, accusing the federal government of overreach and signaling they will not comply. The dispute adds strain to already delicate center–periphery relations, with implications for how uniformly the system can be enforced across the country’s airports.

• Both administrations say they will resist the new procedures at facilities they control.
• The rift reflects broader tensions over authority and resource control between Mogadishu and regional actors.
• Uneven implementation could hinder the system’s effectiveness and create patchwork compliance.

What remains unclear

Fiqi’s claim of zero ISIS arrivals since the E-Visa took effect could not be independently verified, and the government did not release supporting data. Key details, including the precise start date of the system and the number of attempted entries blocked, were not provided. The minister’s comments, however, align with a long-standing push to cut off foreign militant inflows.

• No public figures on interdictions or denied visas were released alongside the statement.
• Authorities did not specify how the system interfaces with airports outside direct federal control.
• Security forces continue to pressure ISIS in Bari region, where the group has maintained a small but stubborn footprint.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.