The government of Turkey has on Monday donated Military uniform to Somali government as part of Turkish efforts to help Somalia rebuild its armed forces.
In a handover ceremony held at Jazeera military Academy, officials from Turkish Defense ministry have handed the uniforms to Somali military officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, Somali National Army ( SNA) force commander, Gen. Abdullahi Ali Anod lauded Turkish’s efforts to support Somali army.
“We thank Turkey government for its commitment to help Somali National Army. Today we have received air and naval force uniforms from Turkish officials,” Anod said.
The chief commanders of both naval and air forces, Admiral, Maday Nurow Sheikh and Mohamud Sheikh Ali respectively who received the consignment from the force commander have pledged to distribute the uniforms in accordance with army regulations.
The move comes a month after Turkey government supplied weapons to 400 Somali soldiers who graduated from the Turkish military training camp in Mogadishu.
According to Somalia’s State Minister of Defense, Mohamed Ali Haga who spoke to VOA Somali service stated that the soldiers were equipped with small weapons and machine guns allowed under a partial UN embargo on Somalia.
“They [soldiers] have been equipped with Turkish-made rifles. When the soldiers were coming for the training they did not had weapons, Turkey equipped them promised to equip every soldier who is being trained at the camp.” Haga told VOA.
Last year, Turkey had opened the camp which is the largest Turkish military training base in Mogadishu.
The Academy which aims at rebuilding Somali armed forces would over 10,000 Somali soldiers.
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