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Somalia govt arrests military officials after US cuts aid to special forces over corruption

Somali National Army commandos. (Reuters)

By Yassin Juma | 27 Apr 2024

The government, however, fell short of mentioning the names of the military officials said to be involved in the stealing of the food rations.

Somalia's government has arrested US-trained commandos following the revelations of a corruption scandal involving the illicit sale of food rations meant for the Danab special forces.

A statement issued by Somalia’s Ministry of Defence said it had run an internal investigation and admitted there was a corruption scandal that involved misappropriation and resale of food rations meant for the US-funded elite forces.

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“During the investigations, the Somali National Army forces have reported a diversion of Danab rations within a unit of its forces,” the statement partly said.

“Federal Government of Somalia takes these incidents seriously and has immediately launched an investigation which has resulted in the suspension and detention of officers within the ranks to ensure accountability and transparency,” the government stated.

The government, however, fell short of mentioning the names of the military officials said to be involved in the stealing of the food rations.

Earlier this week, the US announced it had suspended food ration aid to the Danab special forces in a meeting held at the US Embassy in Nairobi in the presence of the visiting Somalia Chief of Defence Brigadier General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin and Deputy Defence Minister Abdullahi Olad Roble.

Following the suspension, the Somalia government has announced that it will assume the responsibility of providing rations to the Danab forces.

The Eastleigh Voice has learnt that the US is investigating similar allegations of illicit fuel sales.

The highly trained Somali National Army commando force with 3000 soldiers was established in 2014. The US has long provided support and training to the elite forces which have been at the forefront in Somalia’s war against the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab.

The cancellation of food ration which begins in June is seen as a blow in Mogadishu’s efforts to dislodge Al-Shabaab from the Horn of Africa country which Danab has been spearheading.