More Eritrea-trained soldiers return as Somalia battles against Al-Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Somalia - To address backups in the battlefield besides promoting reinforcements, a number of Somalia troops training abroad have returned home, a few weeks after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud requested for technical pause of withdrawal of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] officers from the country.

At the United Nations Security Council, the government of Somalia expressed concerns about the withdrawal of the peacekeepers, noting that the country needed some three more months to put logistics in place place the exit of the ATMIS troops.

The African Union was intending to withdraw 3,000 more soldiers from Somalia after 2,000 had left in June, with the organization pushing to leave the country by December 2024 in compliance with the Somali Transition Plan [STP], which was effected a few years ago.

On Monday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ushered in more soldiers who have been training in Eritrea as Somalia pushes to increase the number of soldiers. Upon exit of the ATMIS troops, the Somali National Army will assume security responsibilities.

"I have today received our brave troops who returned home from Eritrea to scale up our relentless efforts to eliminate Kharajite terrorists," President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said, in reference to Al-Shabaab militants, who have been fighting to topple the government.

"Their reassuring courage fills me with belief, along with every other Somali that our homeland's liberation for a lasting peace is imminent," Hassan Sheikh added. He has since declared total war against Al-Shabaab, a strategy which has gained traction.

Initially, the president had requested Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti to dispatch non-ATMIS troops to the country to help implement the second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab which was scheduled to take place in Jubaland and Southwest states, but the operation has been delayed due to inadequate number of soldiers in frontlines.

Eritrea, just like Uganda and Ethiopia, has been training Somali soldiers as the Horn of Africa nation seeks to strengthen its army. Also involved in the intense training of the Somali National Army is the US Africa Command which trains and equips Danab Special Forces and is responsible for the Eagle contingent [Gorgor].

GAROWE ONLINE