MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – The devastating aftermath of a deadly attack in Mogadishu reverberates as the bodies of four UAE Armed Forces members, tragically killed, are solemnly airlifted to Abu Dhabi.
Confirming the somber news on Sunday, the UAE Defense Ministry announced the arrival of the fallen officers at Al Bateen Executive Airport aboard a military aircraft.
The harrowing incident unfolded when a Somali soldier, trained by UAE officers at the General Gordon Army Camp in the capital, turned his weapon on his mentors.
In a brazen act of violence, the assailant claimed the lives of six individuals during the Saturday afternoon assault, leaving several others, including Somali nationals, wounded in the chaos.
The four Emirati officers – Colonel Mohamed Al Mansouri, Warrant Officer 1 Mohamed Al Shamsi, Warrant Officer 1 Khalifa Al Balushi, and Corporal Suleiman Al Shehhi – were among those who perished in the senseless attack.
Additionally, one officer from Bahrain, serving alongside his Emirati comrades, met a tragic end, as confirmed by the Emirati Defense Ministry.
Amidst the tragedy, two Emirati officers sustained injuries and were swiftly evacuated to Abu Dhabi for urgent medical attention.
Meanwhile, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud paid a visit to the wounded at a hospital in Mogadishu on Saturday night, vowing a thorough investigation into the incident.
In a dramatic turn of events, the perpetrator of the heinous act, identified as Hassan Mohamed, met his demise in a subsequent shootout within the camp.
Questions surrounding the origins of the assailant’s weaponry linger, with emerging reports suggesting his recent defection from the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.
Security officials speculate on the circumstances that led to Mohamed’s recruitment into the ranks of the Somali military.
The Somali Ministry of Defense has yet to issue a formal response to the tragic events. However, condemnation poured in from international quarters, with the U.S Embassy in Mogadishu vehemently denouncing the assault and reaffirming unwavering support for Somali peace-building efforts.
“We condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest terms and remain steadfast in our support of Somali efforts to build peace,” the embassy posted on X.
The incident casts a grim shadow over the military partnership between the UAE and Somalia, marked by the training initiatives conducted at the General Gordon Army Camp. The camp, shuttered in 2018 amidst diplomatic rifts stemming from the Gulf blockade on Qatar, saw renewed collaboration in 2022 as relations between the two nations thawed.
Beyond its engagement in Mogadishu, the UAE maintains separate military partnerships with regions including Somaliland and Puntland.