Hiiraan Online
Thursday February 8, 2018
Major General Abdiweli Jama Gorod, the Somali Chief of Defence Forces presents a certificate of appreciation to Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh, the outgoing AMISOM Force Commander. This was during a luncheon hosted by the Somali National Army (SNA) in honour of Lt. Gen. Soubagleh in Mogadishu, Somalia on February 07, 2018. AMISOM Photo / Ilyas Ahmed
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali government on Wednesday feted the former force commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Osman Noor Soubagleh for his contribution in the in the ongoing process to stabilize Somalia.
Speaking at a luncheon attended by top government officials, Defence Minister Mohamed Mursal commended praised Soubagleh as well as AU for the efforts in pacifying and stabilizing the Horn of Africa country.
"We know you have sacrificed and your target is for Somalia to become stable and secure and for that we always recognize your efforts and that of the international community who have always stood by the Somali people,” he noted.
The Minister said Somalia had been in conflict for more than two decades, adding that the international community had always supported the people of Somalia.
Somali National Army Chief Abdiweli Jama Hussein who also at the event noted that in the short time they had worked together, he had seen a professional, committed and trusted soldier whose aim was to see a peaceful and stable Somalia.
“I saw him not only as the African Union Force Commander but also as a Somali brother who I could trust because of the things he was doing for the SNA. If it were within our means, we would ask him to stay,” he noted.
Outgoing AMISOM Force Commander honoured by the Somali government. from AMISOM Public Information on Vimeo.
Soubagleh, who has been force commander since 2016 has recently handed the office to Jim Owoyesigire.
The Somali security sector has praised Soubagleh for being instrumental in improving cooperation between AMISOM and SNA in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
AMISOM is a troop contingent supported by several countries in the continent including Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Burundi and Uganda has been helping Somalia to fight Al-Shabaab for a decade.