MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s government has denied presence of its troops in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, days after reports emerged of Somali recruits deployed by Eritrea as cannon fodder to the northern Ethiopian region during the recent offensive against regional authorities.
Somali Information Minister Osman Abokor Dube said “there are no Somali troops requested by the Ethiopian government to fight in Tigray region” and reiterated that reports suggesting presence of Somali troops in the northern Ethiopian region are “fabricated”
As he continued to speak further, the minister noted that the reports were serving political motivates and were part of a plot to tarnish the image of the Somali army.
Hours before the minister’s televised remarks, a number of grieving parents appeared on local TV stations, saying the national Intelligence Agency told them that their children, some of them as young as 14 died after being sent to Eritrea for military training.
Dozens of women staged protests in Galkayo and other cities in Somalia, claiming that their children were killed after being thrown as cannon fodder into war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and called for urgent answers from the government on the whereabouts of their missing children.
The first report suggesting deaths and presence of Somali recruits in Tigray region was published by Somaliguardian quoting sources within Eritrea trained troops who returned home and has since been corroborated by statements made by former deputy intelligence chief, parliamentarian Mahad Salad and parents of missing children.
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