‘You are ready to defend your country,’ Somali president tells army grads

The President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has hailed new Somali army graduates at a graduation ceremony in Uganda for their readiness “to defend their country, people, and religion”.

Mohamud was in Uganda on Sunday to close the training program for a new batch of Somali National Armed Forces who have completed their training in the East African country.

“I applaud you for the training you have undergone,” Mohamud told the army graduates. “What you have displayed for us today shows that you are ready to defend your country, people, and religion.”

The Somali leader also expressed his gratitude to Uganda for training the forces and to the United Arab Emirates for covering the cost of training them.

In recent months, Mohamud has sent thousands of military recruits to neighbouring countries for training amid the national army’s offensive against Al-Shabaab terrorists.

After major successes in liberating swathes of territories in the country’s Hirshabelle and Galmudug states, the Somali government has set its eyes on Jubbaland and Southwest state where Al-Shabaab terrorists enjoy a strong presence.