Hassan Adan, an elder in Qandala town in the semiautonomous state of Puntland, says the bodies found along a road near the town showed signs of torture.
Puntland officials were not immediately available for comment.
Heavily armed fighters on Saturday stopped a truck carrying nearly two dozen passengers about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Qandala and abducted nine people.
The abducted included off-duty soldiers returning from areas where troops are battling the IS-linked fighters who had briefly captured Qandala.
It was not immediately clear if the decapitated bodies were those of soldiers.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
