New camp, chain of payments, officers… the new Somali army takes shape
The new Somali army, currently being structured, could have a camp worthy of the name in Mogasdishu. It was time ! Until now, there were only a few tarpaulins, a tank and water in full sun, in which you wouldn't even dare to wash, explains a European expert. At the new Al Jazeera Camp, built near the sea, there will be proper kitchens and bathrooms. A secure access (with walls, ditch and fence...) is under construction to connect this camp to the airport and AMISOM HQ, with a secure access point, out of distance from the mortars.
Redesign of the payment chain
As for the payment chain, the sinews of war, it is also about to be reviewed. This too is necessary. Today, the balances are paid by the United States and Italy " on lists drawn up by GFT, without too much control ". And according to the interlocutors, Somali army figures vary from 3.500 to 10.000 men »! A secure biometric database will now be used for payment. Funded by the United States, it is being carried out by a private British company. The new payment system will be implemented in December. The new database will first be fed with Somali TFG soldiers trained by the European Union in Bihanga. As additional identification work is done by Amisom, the other TFG soldiers will be entered, after screening by US authorities; only the soldiers recognized by these three interlocutors will be incorporated. It should be noted that the vetting already carried out on the contingents being trained in Bihanga by the Americans was scrupulous, several recruits were thus eliminated at the start (this process lasts 3 weeks, on site and in Washington; the various American services having several checklists, terrorism, etc.).
Meanwhile... training continues
In Bihanga (Uganda), meanwhile, the training of the first contingent of Somali soldiers continues by the European mission EUTM Somalia is about to end. The first wave of non-commissioned officer training - ended in early September. Attended by 192 recruits, she covered topography, weapons, tactics, different techniques and procedures. All accompanied by a course on the international law of conflict and the structures of the GFT, and a week of intensive training in guerrilla warfare in urban areas, allowing you to become a "perfect" section leader. Of these 192 recruits, a small score (21 exactly) were selected to follow the formation of junior officer.
« The training is of a rare intensity, little experienced by Europeans says one of the European officials. " And the attrition (desertion) rate is surprisingly low ". It is true that in the depths of Uganda, it is a little more difficult than in Somalia. But all the same... we are below European rates. However, it is not very obvious. " We are dealing with people who are not structured to be soldiers. The first times were not easy it seems. And the rooms organized in such a way as to mix the ethnic groups " very quickly reorganized in a clannish way », Specifies this expert. " There is thus a whole learning process to live together that is necessary”.
The reintegration will take place at the same place as the initial selection, provided by AMISOM, on the spot in Somalia. The African peacekeeping forces have European funding of 2,7 million euros for this (in addition to the other funding allocated).
