A US-backed plan to train a police force for combat against al-Shabab is crumbling as a host of Somali government troops defect and join the militants.
Somali Defense Minister, Yusuf Mohamed Siyad aka Indha'ade, confirmed to Associated Press that some trainees joined al-Shabab after the men's $100 monthly wages were stolen by their commanders.
"The US promised to pay the salaries of 1,800 soldiers, while other donor countries pledged to pay for some 3,300 soldiers. This is part of plans to fund the upkeep of 10,000 soldiers that would help the government retain the security," he said.
The Somali minister added that the soldiers did not receive their wages for nearly a year.
About half of the Somali troops, trained in neighboring Djibouti, have deserted with their uniforms and weapons after realizing that they are not going to receive their salaries.
"Some gave up the army and returned to their ordinary life and others joined the militants," Somali army Col. Ahmed Aden Dhayow told AP.
International efforts to help train soldiers have been patchy so far. African Union instructors in the main Somali government camp, Camp al-Jazira, are desperately short of equipment and sporadic international training outside the Horn of Africa nation has been uncoordinated.
It is believed militia leaders fear that a national army could weaken their clan-based forces. They also want the payments to go to their own fighters instead.
The international community has, on occasions, tried to rebuild the Somali army since the central government collapsed nearly two decades ago and the army dissolved into feuding militias.
Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125019§ionid=351020501.
Somali Defense Minister, Yusuf Mohamed Siyad aka Indha'ade, confirmed to Associated Press that some trainees joined al-Shabab after the men's $100 monthly wages were stolen by their commanders.
"The US promised to pay the salaries of 1,800 soldiers, while other donor countries pledged to pay for some 3,300 soldiers. This is part of plans to fund the upkeep of 10,000 soldiers that would help the government retain the security," he said.
The Somali minister added that the soldiers did not receive their wages for nearly a year.
About half of the Somali troops, trained in neighboring Djibouti, have deserted with their uniforms and weapons after realizing that they are not going to receive their salaries.
"Some gave up the army and returned to their ordinary life and others joined the militants," Somali army Col. Ahmed Aden Dhayow told AP.
International efforts to help train soldiers have been patchy so far. African Union instructors in the main Somali government camp, Camp al-Jazira, are desperately short of equipment and sporadic international training outside the Horn of Africa nation has been uncoordinated.
It is believed militia leaders fear that a national army could weaken their clan-based forces. They also want the payments to go to their own fighters instead.
The international community has, on occasions, tried to rebuild the Somali army since the central government collapsed nearly two decades ago and the army dissolved into feuding militias.
Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125019§ionid=351020501.
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