Members of UAE trained Somali Army have been arrested Monday for looting military items at Gordan military camp in the capital Mogadishu, KNN reports. Political and diplomatic tensions between Somalia and UAE have been running high over the past weeks. UAE has been supporting parts of SNA soldiers with training and military equipment.
As UAE announced last week, that it has disbanded its military support to SNA soldiers, Somalia said later it will take full responsibility for those soldiers –the UAE trained Somali troops in terms of their salaries and their basic needs.
UAE military trainers yesterday handed over those soldiers with military items to Somali government. The ceremony was held at Gordan military camp in Mogadishu where UAE officials used to train and equip Somali soldiers.
Today, armed clashes broke out inside and around the camp with members of UAE trained Somali soldiers and their commanders fought while looting warehouses full of weapons and ammunition. The clashes came as other government soldiers opposing the looting fought back.
Somali Army chief Abdiwali Jama Gorod told State-run Agency, SONNA that arrests have been made against some soldiers over looting attempt.
The government sent hundreds of SNA troops to the area to prevent the stockpiles from further looting, he said.
By Mohamed Odowa,
