Somalia, the first 5,000 soldiers return after training in Eritrea
A few days earlier, during a visit to the United Statesthe Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on the occasion of the meeting with the diaspora, he had anticipated this awaited news. The presence of Somali soldiers in Eritrea In recent months, she had been at the center of controversy and concern on the part of her parents due to rumors, never confirmed, of their employment in the Ethiopian region of Tigray. It was said that they were fighting against the tplf (Tigray People’s Liberation Front), at war with the federal government from 2020 to last November 2 when a peace agreement was signed between the parties.
The relationships between Somalia and Eritrea they had strengthened in 2018. After the election of the Ethiopian premier Abiy Ahmedthe then Somali president Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed “Farmajo”, he had initialed to Asmara an important cooperation agreement with Eritrea and Ethiopia. A favorable situation for economic and commercial development and for stability, not only for the three countries, but for the entire Horn of Africa. Condition that has not been interrupted even during the two years of war that have shaken Ethiopia, worrying the neighboring countries for the serious repercussions.
The training of Somali soldiers should have ended in 2021, as stated by former president Farmajo, who however said he had extended it to avoid political exploitation in view of the imminent presidential elections. Elections won by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who, before withdrawing the troops from Eritrea, visited them twice last November and before that in July.
During the official press conference, pending the arrival of the troops, the Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nurhe said, as reported by Associated Pressthat their return to Mogadishu it is good news for Somalis because Eritrean trained soldiers will fight against Al-Shabab. “Our first group arrived today while the remaining soldiers will arrive in the coming days to join the fight against the militant group known as Khawaarij.” The Somali Government is now referring to Athe Shabab like Khawaarij, an Arabic term for someone who deviates from true Islam. The Somali VOA agency, Voice of America, reports that after their arrival the troops were escorted to a secure section of the airport where they will remain until they are sent to a secret base.
In recent years the terrorist group Al-Shabab despite having been forced to abandon the main Somali cities, he continued to lead a war made up of attacks against civilians and the government. For this reason, the Somali government has expressed its gratitude to Eritrea for training the military who will fight even more strongly against terrorism. Internal Eritrean sources confirm the success of the training of Somali soldiers in various sectors, aeronautics, navy, special forces and as specialized technicians.
@Marilena Sweet
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