AU troops has to vacate from National facility, says Somali FA official
Somali Football Federation has once again reiterated its call that African Peacekeeping troops must withdraw from the country’s National facility [Stadium Mogadishu].
This is the 7th time since 2012; the SFF is asking African Union to move its forces from the facility so that it can be returned to the hands of the federation for its proper use.
The call was made by Somali Football Federation senior vice president, Ali Abdi Mohamed, as he addressed at the farewell party held for Somalia’s U-23 national squad before flying to Rwanda on Wednesday, for the preliminary clash of 2016 Rio De Janerio Olympic Games qualifiers.
“SFF has several times demanded for the troop withdrawals from Stadium Mogadishu and today we here by sending another strong call to African Union and we say to them please vacate your troops from the national facility” the SFF senior vice president accentuated.
“I hope that our minister for youth and sport who is with us here today will hardly push for the withdrawals of African Union peacekeepers from Stadium Mogadishu” added Somali FA’s second man.
Built with Chinese aid in 1978, the 70,000-seat facility was rarely used by the Somali FA since the country fell into anarchy just 24 years ago. It changed hands several times since 1993 when it was base for American troops in Somalia.
2007-2009, it was home to thousands of Ethiopian troops who invaded Somalia to defeat the once powerful Islamic Courts Union, before it was occupied by Al-Shabab in January 2009.
Finally from 7 August 2011, the facility has been home to thousands of African Union Peacekeepers helping the federal government of Somalia.
For the past several years, Somali FA officials have repeatedly been calling on African Union to give the facility back to them, but still AU military has been reluctant to the SFF words.
