Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, attended the graduation ceremony of newly trained Somali soldiers in Kampala, Uganda, on Sunday.
During his speech at the ceremony, President Mohamud emphasized that the government’s top priority is to reform the National Army, which serves as the foundation for the country’s governance, and to achieve a swift victory in the fight against terrorism.
The newly trained soldiers showcased their skills in a parade, where they expressed gratitude to President Mohamud for prioritizing rebuilding the army forces.
President Hassan Sheikh thanked the Ugandan government for their selfless support to both the Somali people and government and expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for financing the training of the army.
Although the President did not provide the number of troops who graduated on Sunday, the country’s national security adviser, Hussein Sheikh-Ali, confirmed in January that the government is training 3,000 soldiers in Uganda. Moreover, the adviser recently affirmed that troops from neighbouring countries would join the next phase of military operations against al-Shabab.
According to Kamal Dahir Hassan Gutale, the national security adviser to Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the new offensive will commence during the holiest month of Islam, Ramadan, which starts this Wednesday.
