Somali Sends 300 Soldiers To Turkey For Training

Somali government sent off 300 soldiers to Turkey on Saturday for further training, as part of its efforts to reform the country’s National Army which is battling Al Shabaab.

On Friday, Military officials have arrived in Mogadishu after taking a refresher course in Turkey.

One hundred officials from Somali National Army completed a six-month course on Human rights preservation and code of conduct in Turkey.

The officials who returned to the country were received at the airport by Somali Minister for Defense, Hassan Mohamed Ali and other officials.

Mr Ali who spoke to the media at the airport has lauded Turkey’s efforts to help Somalia build Somali military through training and mentorship.

SNA was established in 12th April in 1960 after Somalia attained its full independence.

Under former president, Mohamed Siyad Barre’s rule, Somalia once possessed a formidable military in the continent.

The army which disintegrated when the government was ousted and the country descended into civil war in the 1990s was re-established during the former transitional Somali governments.

SNA soldiers backed by continental forces have been battling Al-Shabab in different parts of the country for a decade.