Somali forces sell weapons to Islamists

A former commander in the Somali military has admitted that government soldiers sell arms to insurgents seeking to topple western backed government. A former Chief of Staff of Somalia's Military, major general Yusuf Hussein Osman, says unpaid soldiers offered to sell their guns and ammunition to the enemy


Mr. Osman who served as the chief of staff in 2009 said the soldiers are not being paid their $100 monthly wage a long period.

“The biggest source for rebels’ arms is government forces. Unpaid soldiers get money from rebels and then hand to their arms”, said Maj.General Osman in an exclusive interview with AfricaNews.

Those who sell their guns to Islamist insurgents are part of hundred of Somali soldiers trained with U.S. and EU funds in the neighbouring countries. The soldiers were trained in Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda and Sudan.

Only United States spent $6.8 million to train almost 2,100 Somali soldiers in Djibouti and Uganda over the past year.

he European Union also paid €5 million ($6 million) for the training 2,000 Somali forces in Uganda.Read More