MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s government on Tuesday dismissed Arab Dheg Ahmed, the commander of the US-trained Danab elite force in Jubaland, just a day after he publicly criticized the federal government, amid intensifying dispute with Jubaland’s leadership that threaten to ignite an all-out conflict.
Ahmed vehemently condemned authorities in Mogadishu for promoting military officers who had recently defected from Jubaland, asserting that Danab soldiers, who had long fought insurgents and made significant sacrifices, were unjustly overlooked, with their contributions dismissed and squandered.
Not only did Ahmed criticize the promotion of defected officers, but he also raised alarm over the large-scale deployment of government troops to Raskamboni, some 250 kilometers south of Kismayo, warning that the troop buildup, aimed at ousting the Jubaland leader, would only provide an opportunity for the militant group Al-Shabaab to exploit the escalating tensions.
Somali Army Chief Odowa Yusuf Rage, appointed by authorities just weeks ago to lead the offensive against the Jubaland administration, swiftly replaced Ahmed by appointing a subordinate officer to the vacated position.
Ahmed is not the sole commander to lose his position amid the intensifying standoff between Jubaland and the federal government; many other Jubaland military leaders have also been relieved of their duties and placed under house arrest, facing allegations of conspiring with federal authorities to orchestrate a covert coup against Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe.
