Mogadishu — The Chief of the Somali National Army, Ibrahim Sheikh Muhuddin visited the troops trained in Eritrea, who are stationed at the Air Force base in the capital.

In his speech, Major General Ibrahim instructed the fresh soldiers to prepare for the deployment of the frontlines and participate in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants.

The commander of the armed forces said that now is the best time for the army to liberate the whole country from Al-Shabaab as the US military is involved in the operations.

The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh, who recently went on a brief trip to Eritrea, met thousands of soldiers who completed their training and worked on their swift return home.

The highly trained forces are expected to shine on the battlefields against Al-Shabaab, mainly in Galmudug and Hirshabeelle, where the first phase of the assault is to be finished.

President Hassan Sheikh wants the Eritrea-trained Somali troops to take the lead in the military operations aimed at liberating the areas that remained under Al-Shabaab control.

In an effort to finally push al-Shabaab completely out of central Somalia, in August 2022, the federal government announced the start of the 'first phase' of the counter-insurgency campaign in Hirshabelle and Galmudug states.

Since then, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud relocated the command center of the counter-insurgency campaign from Mogadishu to Dhuusamareeb, Galmudug's regional capital.