Somalia Edges Toward 100,000-Troop Goal with New Qatar-Trained Unit Deployed in Capital  

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The momentum to build a 100,000-strong army in Somalia is taking shape following the training of soldiers by the government of Qatar, which is actively involved in the peacekeeping processes within the Horn of Africa nation.

Besides Qatar, many countries, including the US, Turkey, UK, Uganda, Eritrea, UAE and Ethiopia, are involved in training and equipping the Somali National Army, which is set to take over security responsibilities after years of turmoil.

According to multiple sources, a new security formation has taken shape in Mogadishu after Qatar sent home 600 Somali soldiers who completed long-term training in Doha. The unit has been placed under NISA’s Banadir command, with Turkey supplying weapons and gear as part of its ongoing support to Somalia’s security sector.

Security officials say the group has now reached full brigade strength after additional personnel were integrated. The troops have been stationed across several key points in the capital, Mogadishu, which has been experiencing a series of security incidents..

Residents in Mogadishu report that the newly deployed forces have shown strong discipline and respectful conduct, earning public praise online. The group is currently being integrated with the Somali National Army..

Elsewhere, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast struck a Border Patrol Unit (BPU) vehicle on Wednesday along the Kulan–Liboi road in Garissa County, killing two officers and injuring five others.

Authorities said the patrol vehicle hit the roadside bomb while on a routine security sweep in an area long targeted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants operating across the Kenya–Somalia border. Security forces are currently pursuing the attackers.

The attack comes after a period of relative calm in Garissa and underscores the continued threat posed by Al-Shabaab cells that exploit the region’s porous border. Kenya has deployed Special Operations Group forces to the volatile border.

GAROWE ONLINE