Feature: Warrior Turns Soldier, Gears Up For Somali War Front
Ibanda, 06 Dec 2013 (SDN) — It is graduation day, 22- year-old Mohamad Osman Farah readies himself for battle back in volatile Somalia where Al-Shabaab militants backed with foreign fighters are fighting the Somali government.
From a warrior to a professional soldier, it has been a three- month journey for Farah here at Bihanga Training School, a military facility owned by the Ugandan military.
Braving the scorching sun and undergoing intensive military drills simulating the precarious situation back home, Farah is ready for one of the toughest and probably the most dangerous mission in the world.
Trained by some of the best armies in Europe, Farah is among the 138 Somali troops that completed training here.
Speaking with zeal and vigor, Farah told Xinhua in an interview here at Bihanga located in the western Ugandan district of Ibanda that he is ready to fight along with his colleagues to liberate his country.
“There are many foreign fighters linked to Al-Qaida fighting along with the Al-Shabaab. These people (European troops) have trained me and am ready to fight these insurgents. Yes, I am ready, I am ready to fight these insurgents,” Farah said via an interpreter.
Farah and his colleagues have been trained by armies from Europe under the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) in Somalia. The mission was in 2009 authorized by the UN Security Council to train the Somali National Armed Forces and rebuild a credible and lasting security sector in the Horn of African country.
Over 3,600 Somali troops have been trained at this facility through various disciplines like company commander, combat engineering, military intelligence and civil military training.
In addition, the trainees received familiarization courses in human rights and international humanitarian law as well as in the protection of civilians.
Farah’s group was the fifth and last group of Somali troops trained in Uganda by the EUTM team. The EUTM team will now shift base to the Somali capital Mogadishu.
“Building the capacity of the Somali army is work in progress, we have been here three and half years in Uganda. We have correctly responded to the requests of the Somali authorities. We continue with our training and with our strategic advising,” Brig. Gen. Gerald Aherne, the Commander of EUTM Somalia told reporters here on Wednesday.
He was speaking shortly after the passing out and awarding of medals to Farah’s group.
“We have done our part and of course it is not a one-day journey, it is a continuous journey. Training is one thing but also translating the skills into practical effect is another,” said Maj. Gen. David Muhoozi, Commander Land Forces of the Ugandan military
SHIFT TO BATTLE FRONT
As Farah and his colleagues move to the battle front back home, the EUTM will follow them following a request from the Somali authorities.
The Somali government requested international partners to deliver support and assistance within Somalia exclusively.
The EUTM troops will not be engaged in fighting but it will be advising Somali forces. This will be the first deployment of the EU personnel in Mogadishu on a permanent basis since 1991.
“Our movement into Mogadishu which began last May and will be completed in January is indicative of the new political reality and the emerging security reality in Somalia,” Brig. Gen. Aherne said.
“It will increase the capacity for us to train more Somalis, it also has to be remembered that in Somalia from January onwards, we will not be doing any induction or basic recruit training for the Somalis, but we will be mentoring the Somali force as they deliver the training,” he added.
As the EUTM moves to Somalia, the German military trainers will not move to Mogadishu as their country assesses the security situation there.
“The EUTM Somalia welcomes all member states of the EU who wish to participate. I have every confidence that the period of assessment for the German military is ongoing and I have great hope and expectation in the not distant future, the Germans will be back,” said Brig. Gen. Aherne.
DEFECTION TO THE ENEMY
There has been concern that the trained troops may defect to the Al-Shabaab.
“We do not train for the Al-Shabaab, we train for the Somali armed forces. I have heard this being suggested, but I am mission commander for almost one year now and I am yet to be presented with any tangible evidence that would suggest that EUTM trained Somali National Armed Forces are defecting to-Al Shabaab,” said Brig. Gen. Aherne.
“I personally haven’t come across the evidence and I remain to be convinced of it. It is an interesting observation, interesting story but I do not have the luxury of dealing in anything other than facts,” he added.
While addressing the Somali troops, Brig. Gen. Abdirizak Khalif Elmi, Deputy Commander of the Somali army urged the troops to stay committed to the Somali force as it strives to fight the Al- Shabaab.
The main task of building the capacity of the Somali army still remains, according to Brig. Gen. Aherne.
“The main challenge with the Somali armed forces is building indigenous Somali native capacity. The EU in conjunction with strategic partners which are obviously Somalia itself, the United States, Uganda, we are working together to build that capacity,” he said.
“If you look at the outcomes and the effectiveness on the ground of the EUTM trained Somali forces, it is something which both the Somalis and EUTM Somalia are justifiably proud of,” said Brig. Gen. Aherne referring to the military successes recorded by the Somali army and the African Union peacekeeping force.
Source: Xinhua