Somalia: Farmajo replaces army chief in major shakeup

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The President of Somalia’s Federal government, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has launched another major security shake-up on Thursday, replacing army chief, Garowe Online reports.

In a statement from the presidency, Farmajo appointed General Dahir Adan Elmi, known as [Indha-Qarshe] as the new commander-in-chief of Somali National Army [SNA], taking over from General Abdiweli Jama Gorod.

Colonel Hassan Nur Ol-u-joog is the new chief of the Somalia naval forces, while General Odowa Yusuf Rage moves to the commander of the military.

Meanwhile, the president also named Fahad Yasin, the Chief of Staff of Villa Somalia and a staunch ally of Qatar as the new deputy director of the embattled National Intelligence and Security Agency [NISA].

According to the presidential decree seen by Garowe Online, Yasin who has been in office since last May was replaced by Amina Said Ali, becoming the first female Chief of Staff to hold this key position.

Additionally, General Saed Ahmed Kediye, former Criminal Investigation Department [CID] and Colonel Zakia Hussein Ahmed were announced to be the two new deputy police chiefs.

No reason was given for the reshuffle, but the move came after deadly Al-Shabaab attacks in the country, mainly in the capital over the past few months.

Somalia's security apparatus has been beset by a series of replacements and shakeups since the current Federal government came to the office in early last year.

Somali forces have been fighting the armed Islamist group, Al-Shabaab mostly in the southern part of the country since 2008, with the support of strong 22,000 African Union peacekeepers [AMISOM].

GAROWE ONLINE