A delegation led by the Commander of the Land Forces of Somalia’s National Army, Brigadier General Sahal Abdullahi Omar, arrived in the town of Bardhere in Gedo region on Sunday.
The delegation was greeted upon arrival at the airport by officials led by the commander of the 36th Brigade of the 43rd Division of the Somali National Army (SNA), Colonel Osman Sheikh Qorax, military officers, the district administrators and various segments of the community.
The Commander received a salute from a unit of the 363rd battalion, particularly the 36th brigade, and then exchanged handshakes with officials and members of the public who came to welcome him.
Reports and various sources indicate that the visit embarked by the Commander of the Ground Forces coincides at a time when the Federal Government of Somalia is implementing plans to bolster the Federal Government Forces presence in the Gedo region.
Sources close to the commander further disclosed that the objective of the visit may also be linked to the grievances held by the government forces stationed in Bardhere town.
He is also due to hold meetings with officers and troops in order to address the grievances. However, other reports say that the Federal Government intends to set up a strategic position and carry out plans in deploying additional new federal troops, with the aim of reinforcing the presence of the government forces in the Gedo region.
This development comes at a time of political and security tensions between the Federal Government of Somalia and Jubaland administration in the Gedo and Juba regions, where other actors also maintain troop’s presence in neighboring countries which have a huge influence.
Reports from Sources close to the matter also indicate plans for operations against Al-Shabab in parts of the Juba regions, a development that heightens the strategic importance of Bardhere and the Gedo region as a whole.
The Federal Government of Somalia has recently been attempting to expand its military influence in Gedo- a region where Ethiopian troops are present in the towns of Dolow, Beled Hawo, and where Jubaland forces operate in certain areas.
Consequently, the visit of the infantry commander to Bardhere can be viewed as a significant step towards reorganizing government forces in Gedo, although the full details of the trip and subsequent plans have not yet been officially announced.
The question now arises; Will Bardhere become a new base from which the Federal Government reasserts its presence in the security landscape of Gedo and the Juba regions, or will this plan encounter obstacles similar to those faced in the past?
Questions are also being raised about how Ethiopia, Kenya, and Jubaland will react if the Federal Government deploys additional troops to Gedo, and whether this move could lead a new shift in power-sharing and security in the region.
