Somalia’s fight against Al Shabaab has received a major boost.
Qatar has donated 68 armored vehicles to the Federal Government of Somalia that are set to boost the country’s capability to deal with al Qaeda affiliated Al Shabaab.
Officials from Doha handed over the armored vehicles to Somali Defense minister, Hassan Ali Mohamed and chief of the general staff, General Dahir Adan Elmi Indho Qarshe during a ceremony held at the Mogadishu port.
The donation come at a time when the Horn of Africa nation has vowed to root out al Shabaab militants in the country as well as dismantle the terror networks that pivot attacks in the larger East African region.
Furthermore, the donation also comes just days after al Shabaab conducted an attack in neighboring Kenya’s upscale complex Dusit Hotel, Nairobi killing 21 people.
The donation was preceded by a top-level meeting with Doha and Mogadishu officials that reinforced Qatar as a partner to Somalia in her quest for stability and fight against jihadists affiliated to both al Qaeda and ISIS.
On Wednesday, East African bloc IGAD condemned the attack and called for joint efforts to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from the region.
Mahboub Maalim, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Executive Secretary, also expressed confidence that the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of the attack will be brought to justice as soon as possible.
“Such barbaric attacks must not be allowed to weaken our collective determination to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our region,” Maalim said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
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