Somali President visits Baladogle Airbase

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamed, paid visit to Balidogle airport which lies 100km west of the capital city of Somalia, Mogadishu, where an exercise to train troops for the Somali government is underway.

The president has commended the progress made by trainers at the centre.

“What is going on in Baladogle is the foundation of a competent Somali National Army” he said.

He added “You have to defend the lives, property and honour of the public and protect the country from its enemies, starting with our primary enemy al-Shabaab. However, as you are fighting Al-Shabaab, you will also have to carefully separate the terrorists from the innocent citizens so that you do not infringe upon their rights,”

He said that the Somali government has spent a lot of expense from international community.

Meanwhile the president talked the integration of the various existing regional security elements into one, nationally cohesive force is crucial for the future of Somalia”

“The integration of regional security forces is a critical element in both the further development of the Somali National Army (SNA) and the achievement of state-building goals, in particular the formation of a federal Somalia” he said.

He added “We want to get a military which its occupants are from different clans”

10th June this year when Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid who paid visit to US, took meeting with Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work.

The leaders discussed how taking the fight to al-Shabab requires integrating regional militia forces into the Somali National Army deliberately, but without delay, officials said.

The leaders also discussed successes of the Danab companies, which could serve as a good model for the rest of the Somali army, they added.