Somali Military Officers Plotting with Al-Shabab Group in Terror Attacks Says SFG
At least 14 army officers, including the commander of the Jaalle Siyad military academy, have been arrested in connection with Monday’s al-Shabaab suicide bombing at the academy in Mogadishu, which killed at least 30 soldiers and left more than 70 others injured.
Abdifatah Qasim, the Deputy Minister of Defense for Somalia, stated in an address to the Lower House on Saturday that the government is committed to holding those responsible for the attack accountable. He underscored the need to address any assistance of such demonstrations.
This is the highest number of military officers arrested in connection with an al-Shabaab attack. The Somali government launched a campaign against corruption since there was growing concern that certain army commanders were linked to the terrorist organization and helped plan attacks.
The Lower Shabelle natives who were the victims had come to the city for training. The soldiers were being counted as the suicide bomber blew himself up while they were in a line.
Authorities are extremely concerned about Al-Shabaab’s invasion of the army base.
Another front is that, as the government of Somaliland has stated numerous times, quite a few members of the Danab brigade of the Federal Government of Somalia’s military forces, who were trained by US Africom, are actively participating in the ongoing war in the Sool region and supporting the local militia that caused chaos in the city of Las Anod.
There have been allegations and reports of collusion between elements of the Somali military and the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. Such collusion has been approved today with this revelation of the Somalia’s federal government, and it poses a significant challenge to the efforts in combating extremism and stabilizing the region. It’s crucial for international partners to address these issues to ensure security and counterterrorism efforts are effective.
The Somali government’s statement from today confirms what Somaliland has been saying for some time: that the international community should be alert for Somalia’s aggression against Somaliland’s soil in Sool region.
In response to the Somaliland call, the Somali government has not taken any visible, effective measures regarding the involvement of its military in the conflict.
Unlike Somaliland, such inaction on the part of Somali Federal Government is because the Somali National Army is merely a loose collection of clan militias that continue to have no faith in the authority of the federal government and are essentially strongly supportive of clan interests.
Corruption and incompetence have been long-standing issues within the Somali National Army. These problems have hindered the effectiveness and capabilities of the military in addressing security challenges, including the fight against Al-Shabaab and other insurgent groups.
Corruption can undermine trust in the military, divert resources from where they are needed, and create a fertile ground for further instability and illicit activities. Additionally, incompetence can result in ineffective operations and compromise the safety of both military personnel and civilians.