African Union, UN train 300 police officers to secure Somalia

[Deeq A.]

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the EU and the UN on Tuesday kicked off a specialized training of 300 Somali police officers who will form part of the Federal Darwish Police, a special tactics unit of the police tasked with securing the country.

Augustine Magnus Kailie, AMISOM Police Commissioner, said such training was crucial in transforming the Somali Police Force (SPF) into a capable force that can protect the people of Somalia.

“As we have come to assist, build your capacity, you also should be standing ready to see how best you can tap from the various experiences and support you will receive so that as the Darwish especially, you will stand firm to defend the people of Somalia,” said Kailie in a statement issued by the AU mission.

The training is being conducted as part of a joint police program backed by AMISOM, EU and the UN.

The five-year Joint Police Program which supports increased police visibility, presence, capability and accountability and the implementation of the New Policing Model in Somalia at Federal and Federal Member State level.

Abdi Hassan Mohamed, the Somali police commissioner, said the government has embarked on a drive to revive the Darwish special police unit by extensive recruitment and refresher training throughout 2020.

“At the end of this training, our police special forces including the Haramcad, Darwish and the Birmad will be fully equipped and their combined capability will constitute a major force that can secure population centers,” Mohammed said during the opening ceremony in Mogadishu.

Upon completion of the training, this police unit will be integrated into the Somali Police Force and deployed to all the Federal Member States of Somalia.

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