MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali opposition leaders have rejected a fact-finding committee tasked to probe allegations that Somali national army (SNA) recruits.

In a statement, Somalia’s Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) has urged the PM to appoint a neutral commission.

“The council would like to welcome the decision of the prime minister to appoint national level commission of inquiry to probe complaints by Somali parents and human rights groups,” the statement. “The council urges Roble reappoint neutral committee from civil society and political parties in order get the public.”

On Saturday, Prime Minister Roble appointed a high-level government commission of inquiry to investigate complaints by the parents.

Defense Minister Hassan Hussein Haji, Interior Minister Mukhtar Hussein Afrah and Army Chief of Staff Odawa Yusuf Rageh are among those selected to be on the commission.  

The appointment comes days after irate parents took to the streets to protest against alleged deployment of their children in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

They were demanded the government disclose the whereabouts of their sons who were taken to Eritrea for military training.

Early this month, a UN report claimed that Somali soldiers who were airlifted to Eritrea for training had fought alongside Ethiopian forces during the conflict in Tigray region of Ethiopia.