As Somalia progresses towards self-reliance in national security, the persistent threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) remains a major obstacle. Over the past year, approximately 600 IED attacks have resulted in 1,500 casualties, devastating both local communities and the Somali National Army (SNA).
In response, the SNA, with support from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), has intensified efforts to combat this critical threat. During the launch of a month-long ‘train-the-trainer’ course aimed at enhancing the SNA's counter-IED capabilities, James Swan, UN Acting Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, emphasized the severity of the issue. "The primary targets are your fellow soldiers in the SNA. It's crucially important that a solution be found to address this threat," he stated.
Many attendees at the training had firsthand experience with the deadly effects of IEDs. Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Mohamud Awale recalled numerous encounters with enemy blockades and remote-controlled explosives during his operations in the Hiraan and Galgaduud regions. "We lost many comrades," he shared, reflecting on the risks soldiers face daily.
Colonel Faisal Ali Noor described the tragic consequences of inadequate training, recounting incidents where IEDs detonated during attempts to defuse them with limited knowledge. "We even resorted to lighting fires to defuse IEDs, which led to further fatalities," he admitted.
Keywords