Soldiers stage mutiny in Somalia's Capital 

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A section of Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers staged a mutiny in a key military base within Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, in the latest incident which portrays cracks within the national force that is running the war against al-Shabaab.

According to reports, the officers staged a mutiny at Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy within Mogadishu on Sunday, citing instructions from the Ministry of Defense to bring their weapons to the frontlines.

In a video, which has since gone viral, the officers were seen making noise within the barracks while firing randomly on air. They openly accused the Ministry of Defence of what they called 'gross misconduct and incompetence'.

The disgruntled soldiers said they had been ordered to ask for weapons from their relatives and respective clans before taking them to the frontlines. Until this morning, the government and SNA leadership have yet to comment on the matter.

Furthermore, it is not yet clear whether the move is intended to reduce caches of weapons often seized by insurgents after overrunning frontline bases in the country. Last week, several weapons were seized by local militias in central regions.

Authorities have previously tried military officers and soldiers for negligence and leaving behind weapons in military camps overrun by the rebel group Al-Shabaab. The al-Shabaab are fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia.

The SNA troops are set to take security responsibilities from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the US military which have been critical in peacebuilding. The Somali National Army is also undergoing rebuilding after years of civil war in the country.

GAROWE ONLINE