MOGADISHU (SD) – The government of UK has announced that it will train 600 Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers this year amid intensified operations against al-Shabaab militants in south and central Somalia.
In a statement, the UK embassy in Mogadishu said the British forces will enhance their support to Somali forces by offering them various trainings before African Union mission in Somalia (Amisom) hand over the security responsibility to Somali forces.
“The British military in Somalia, deployed on operation TANGHAM, has been running several new training programmes for the Somali National Army in Baidoa, the capital of the Southwest State in Somalia,” the statement read in part.
The training covers three key areas. These are, collective training programme which entails defensive operations, command and control, human rights, communication and shooting among others.
The second part deals with countering improvised explosive devices which are a major threat to both SNA and Amisom.
The third aspect of the training deals with logistics, planning and executing operations.
The announcement comes six months British Army trained its 500th Somali soldier in the essential infantry skills they need to combat armed groups and ensure security and stability in the country.
The eight-week Company Collective Training course is designed to prepare officers and soldiers from the Somali National Army (SNA) to conduct security operations in the country’s South West State, countering the threat from Al-Shabaab and other jihadist and criminal organisations.
The 26-man British training team from 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment taught the Somali soldiers skills including marksmanship, patrolling, medical aid and counter improvised explosive device (IED) techniques.
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