The United Kingdom has pledged £5 million, or $6.6 million, to the Somali National Army through the United Nations Office for Somalia Trust Fund to strengthen the country’s security forces.
The aid will include non-lethal weapons support, including food rations and communication equipment, to help the Somali Army increase its operational capacity, the United Nations Office for Somalia Support Trust Fund said.
The support is said to help Somali security forces carry out joint or coordinated operations with the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia, giving them greater responsibility for national security.
Somalia’s Defense Minister, Abdulkadir Mohamed, emphasized the importance of continued support, saying it is “important for building the national security infrastructure and for the future of Somalia.”
From 2022, the UK has contributed more than £28 million to the United Nations Office for Somalia Trust Fund to support Somalia’s security forces.
The aid was announced a day after Somalia protested Ethiopia’s agreement with Somaliland.
Somalia has recently summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia to oppose the agreement. Turkey has been mediating to ease the conflict between the two countries in the Horn of Africa, although the recent talks in the capital, Ankara, have not yielded results yet
An Ethiopian was killed in the Israeli attack in Lebanon
Dagu Journal has confirmed that an Ethiopian has been killed in Israel’s recent intensified attack on Lebanon.
We have come to know that the Ethiopian was killed in an Israeli airstrike yesterday.
Lebanese authorities announced the death toll following the Israeli airstrikes yesterday.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, at least 274 people were killed in the attack, including 21 children.
An additional 1,240 people were injured in the attack, the ministry announced.
Dagu Journal has confirmed that at least one Ethiopian died among these deaths.
Israel has recently carried out repeated attacks on the Hezbollah group in Lebanon, including blowing up the communication radios used by the group, killing and injuring several members of the group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that our war is with Hezbollah and not with Lebanese citizens, but at least one Ethiopian lost his life in the Israeli attack.
It is known that many Ethiopians live in Lebanon.
Dagu Journal reported that the Ethiopian Consulate General in Beirut has urged Ethiopians to stay away from areas that are targets of violence.