On Thursday, the Somali Council of Ministers held an extraordinary meeting in Mogadishu, presided over by Prime Minister Hon. Hamze Abdi Barre. During the meeting, it was decided that the current Army Chief, Brigadier General Odawaa Yusuf Rage, would be relieved of his duties and replaced by a young officer. According to sources, Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud, a young officer in the SNA, has been appointed as Odawa’s replacement. Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim was previously in charge of overseeing the General Support Command, which is responsible for providing logistical and operational support to the SNA. He has also received military training in Turkey. Brigadier General Odawaa Yusuf Rage had previously held the position of Army Chief twice, in 2019 and 2024. The change in leadership was suggested by the Ministry of Defense and approved by the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers expressed their gratitude to the former Army Chief, Odawaa, and instructed the newly appointed replacement to work diligently and expedite the ongoing anti-Al-Shabab operations in Southern Somalia. Reports also indicate that the change in leadership will affect the deputy Army Chief and the head of SNA operations.
