President Mohamud vows to return soldiers sent to train in Eritrea

Around 5,000 army recruits have been training in Eritrea for close to 3 years

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has vowed to return army recruits receiving military training in Eritrea.

During a meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace with some of the parents whose children are among the soldiers being trained in Eritrea, the newly elected Mohamud said he understands the pain the parents have been enduring for not knowing about the whereabouts of their children since their recruitment for the training in 2019.

“I am a parent, a father, a grandfather, and I understand your pain,” the president told the parents.

President Mohamud made the pledge after concluding a four-day official visit in Eritrea on Monday after receiving an official invitation from his Eritrean counterpart, Isaias Afwerki.

The two leaders toured the military camp where the Somali soldiers were being trained.

The president also promised to facilitate communication between the soldiers and their parents, but stopped short of giving an exact date of their repatriation to Somalia.

He also praised their readiness to serve the country adding they will take part in the fight against al-Shabaab militants.

The soldiers were recruited during the administration of former president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. The clandestine manner in which their recruitment took place stirred controversy about the objective of the training.