Somalia appoints team to investigate complaints about training of soldiers in Eritrea
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia has bowed to pressure on the underground training of young soldiers in Eritrea, following protests from their parents and opposition figures, who accuse the government of withholding information on their progress.
There are nearly 5,000 soldiers training in Eritrea, but the government has not released accurate reports, which has raised concerns from their families and members of the opposition. The troops visited Eritrea in 2019, according to insider reports.
In a statement, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble appointed a commission of inquiry which will now investigate the case before making its findings public. The team will now know the exact situation in Eritrea in addition to receiving complaints from parents.
Among the members of the commission are the ministers of defense, interior, the head of the army and the Somali ambassador to Ethiopia. They will have some time before they publish their findings on the situation of the troops in Eritrea where it is also alleged that they were secretly smuggled into Tigray for the ongoing war.
A report released by the UN special rapporteur in Eritrea revealed that Somali troops in Eritrea crossed the Ethiopian border where they carried out mass killings against the Tigrayan people. Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] secured the reinforcement of Eritrean troops in the war against the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray [TPLF] fighters.
Although the rapporteur did not release specific evidence, he did confirm that indeed Somali troops had been sighted in Axum, a holy city in northern Ethiopia. They were in the company of Eritrean troops, the report further revealed.
Investigations obtained by Axadlehave since established that the deployment of troops to Eritrea for training was carried out by only four senior officials, including Farmajo and the National Intelligence Security Agency. [NISA] boss Fahad Yasin.
News of their presence in Eritrea was first published in February by Garowe Online, but the government denied it. However, a protest led by the parents triggered a response from the government, but the government firmly denied their presence in the Tigray region.
The Tigray region continues to be the scene of humanitarian crises attracting international condemnation. The US and UK have already slapped a number of individuals from Eritrea and Ethiopia with sanctions, but Ethiopia still insists it has never blocked humanitarian aid to the region.
In a pre-recorded video message, Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen said Ethiopia was disappointed with the campaign against its handling of the situation in the Tigray region.
He said that “what Ethiopia needs now is concrete support and a mission to undermine the unity, territorial integrity and cohesion of the Ethiopian state, under the guise of humanitarian concern, is not acceptable ”
Ethiopia stands ready to work in a positive and constructive manner with all its partners to scale up humanitarian assistance, rebuild social cohesion and restore basic services in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
“Therefore, what the country needs at this critical time is the support of friends and partners and not undue pressure which would further complicate the situation,” he noted.
Demeke explained: “It is extremely regrettable that some in the international community have embarked on a mission to undermine the unity, territorial integrity and cohesion of the Ethiopian state, under the guise of humanitarian concern. . We urge these people and partners to give up these unnecessary activities ”
The Deputy Prime Minister added that the accusations against Ethiopia of using hunger as a weapon of war against its own citizens are a blatant lie and in no way designed to promote peace, harmony and stability.
AXADLETM
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