Somalia names Turkish-trained general as new army chief

[Deeq A.]

Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia’s cabinet dismissed army chief General Odowaa Yusuf Raage on Thursday and appointed a Turkish-trained logistics expert to lead the force as the government intensifies its offensive against Al-Shabaab.

The Council of Ministers approved Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud’s appointment during a meeting in Mogadishu, state media reported.

Ministers thanked Odowaa for his service, but government sources said the military required new leadership to accelerate operations against the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents.

General Ibrahim, who previously commanded the army’s logistics division, represents a generational shift in the senior ranks.

He holds a master’s degree from a Turkish military institution, a qualification that underscores Turkey’s deepening security ties with the Horn of Africa nation.

The Somali National Army (SNA) currently struggles to supply troops on the frontlines of central and southern Somalia. Officials said Ibrahim’s background suits the urgent need to sustain extended supply lines.

He will now lead a renewed push to dislodge Al-Shabaab from strongholds in Middle Shabelle and Lower Juba, according to military officials.

Security hurdles

This leadership change is the second time Odowaa has been removed from the top post, following an earlier dismissal before his recent return.

He served as army chief from 2019 to 2023, and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reappointed him in November 2024 to revive a stalled counter-insurgency campaign.

But his dismissal follows battlefield setbacks. Despite a “total war” declared by the president, militants reversed some government gains in recent months.

The leadership change comes as Somalia faces parallel pressures: an ongoing campaign against the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab insurgency and rising political tensions ahead of planned 2026 elections.

Al-Shabaab still controls parts of rural southern and central Somalia and regularly stages attacks in Mogadishu and other towns, despite years of military operations backed by international partners.

At the same time, disputes over constitutional amendments and election rules have deepened mistrust between the federal government and opposition figures.

On Wednesday, lawmakers brawled in parliament as they debated constitutional amendments that opponents claim could delay the 2026 polls.

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