MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Hundreds of Somali police officers have disappeared and are suspected of defecting to militant ranks or deserting their posts after thousands of officers have recently been deployed to frontlines to counter Al-Shabaab’s advance toward the capital, Five Somali TV reported Wednesday.
The broadcaster obtained internal police documents listing 145 missing officers by name and rank, though other sources suggest the number could be as high as 600.
The officers were not on authorized leave, but authorities have not clarified whether they vanished during combat deployment or fled urban postings to avoid frontline duty.
Security analysts fear the missing personnel may have either joined Al-Shabaab militants or illicitly sold their weapons—a recurring issue within Somalia’s beleaguered security forces over the past decade.
The Somali government has recently mobilized thousands of police officers to reinforce battlefronts against the insurgency, with many killed or captured in militant attacks. The alarming desertion rate has prompted harsh warnings from senior officials. Custodial Corps chief Mahad Abdirahman recently threatened that any officer fleeing after militant attacks would face execution or arrest—along with their entire family.
The mass disappearances underscore deepening challenges for Somalia’s security apparatus as it struggles to contain Al-Shabaab’s relentless offensive toward Mogadishu. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the crisis.
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