TFG Forces Threaten to Stop Fighting In Lower Jubba

“We can say it’s a very painful situation to have a lack of salary for more than four months; some of us have families while some others were admitted to hospitals for injuries,” Mohamed Daa’uud Kheyre, stationed in Burgavo, Lower Juba, told. He said many soldiers feel the same way, and morale to continue the fight against militant Islamist group al-Shabaab is low.

The soldiers feel they have sweated blood, but say the leaders of Somalia and Kenya, which trained some of the militia, have failed fulfill their obligations to front line forces.

On November 16, the TFG forces in Mogadishu received pay after four months of complaining, but the forces outside of the capital have received nothing, they say.Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Gulled Mohamed (Ahmed Deeq) of the TFG forces in Qoqaani told Somalia Report that bad weather was making it impossible to deliver wages.

“We know as the commanders of the forces that the salary of the soldiers is ready, but the situation we are facing makes it impossible to deliver them” he said.  

Heavy rains have stalled the advance of Kenyan and allied forces, with vehicles and troops bogged down in the mud. Colonel Gulled called for patience, saying they would get their money when it was possible.

He added that government force in Gedo got their salaries in September, but didn’t reach Dhobley until mid-October, by which point operations had begun, sending soldiers far out into the front lines.“Availability of transportation is very hard due to the heavy rains in the region and a lack of secure paths of transport between where the soldiers are engaging their operations,” he said.

A finance officer in Dhobley said August and September’s salaries were available and waiting for delivery.

Since the resignation of former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who was popular with the armed forces for ensuring payments were made, most of the Somali government forces in both the capital and outside have been complaining of the lack of salaries and medical facilities to maintain their operations against al-Shabaab.