MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Eritrea-trained Somalia army units based in the southern Somalia region of Gedo staged mutiny and demanded that the government relocate them to the capital Mogadishu where they had been stationed before being airlifted to the restive region several months ago, Caasimada Online website has reported on Monday.
Tensions over the decision by dozens of soldiers divided troops in the region and fear that the move could further worsen an already deteriorating security in the region has been raised.
Soldiers mainly from the capital and neighboring regions had completed training in Eritrea earlier this year before they were deployed to Gedo region where dispute between the federal government and Jubaland authorities has unleashed deadly clashes.
Turkish-trained Haram’ad police officers staged a short-lived mutiny in the town of Jowhar last week and halted traffic in many of the city’s neighborhoods, demanding redeployment to the capital.
A military delegation led by the deputy commander of the Somali Land Forces Hussein Hosh Ali and the chief of Turkish-trained Gorgor special forces arrived in the region this week to defuse tensions and address complaints by the mutinying soldiers.
It comes after former Jubaland security minister Abdirashid Janan’s troops, who had earlier defected to the federal government, came out of their base in mutiny over unpaid salaries and demands, including handing their commanders more powers in the region.
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