Somalia Aims for 100,000-Troop Army as Fight Against Al-Shabaab Intensifies

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The government of Somalia is targeting the recruitment of 100,000 soldiers as it fights violent extremism, including the growing surge of the Al-Shabaab extremists who are controlling several parts of the country.

Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, the defence minister, says the strong army will help the country defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, with the fight against Al-Shabaab a major task amid the ongoing transition.

While addressing senators, Fiqi said that as long as external forces remain in the country, the country's security system remains incomplete and should be worked on immediately. There has been a drawdown of security forces in the country.

Although the contributions of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) remain important, Fiqi said building a strong national force is not an option but a serious undertaking the country must work on.

“Real security will only come when Somali soldiers, not foreign ones, are responsible for protecting our people and borders,” the minister said.

The minister framed this as part of a broader effort to achieve “sovereign independence in security,” a key priority of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration, which has made military reform central to its campaign against Al-Shabaab.

Currently, the total number of the Somalia National Army is estimated at 40,000, with a number of them trained by the US Africa Command and the Turkish military, which has the largest overseas training school in Somalia capital Mogadishu.

Funding of the national army still remains a major challenge, with the government depending on well-wishers to sustain the military. The US Africa Command has raised issues about the misappropriation of funds allocated to the Danab Special Forces.

GAROWE ONLINE