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| Africa Horn |
| General Odowaa admits heavy Somali Army casualties |
| 2025-11-07 |
Text: #ALERT: General Odowaa Admits Heavy Somali Army Casualties. “If I were to tell you the exact number of government soldiers killed, you would be shocked.” The Commander of the Somali National Army (SNA), General Odowaa Yusuf Raage, has made a startling revelation about the extent of government troop losses in the ongoing war against Al-Shabaab. Speaking before the Upper House of Parliament, General Odowaa stated, “If I were to tell you the exact number of government soldiers killed, you would be shocked — it is between 10,000 and 15,000.” According to inside sources, General Odowaa privately elaborated that the number of government soldiers killed in the conflict is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000, confirming the scale of losses the army has suffered since the launch of the 2022 military offensive. His remarks come amid a deteriorating security situation, as Al-Shabaab militants have recaptured several towns and villages that were initially liberated during the government’s counter-offensive. By 2024, the group had regained control of key areas and even advanced to the outskirts of Mogadishu, raising serious concerns about the sustainability of the government’s campaign. Former President Sheikh sharif sheikh Ahmed had previously warned that the Somali National Army had “effectively collapsed,” claiming there was “no unified force left to fight Al-Shabaab.” His comments at the time drew sharp criticism from the government — but General Odowaa’s recent admission appears to echo those concerns. According to security experts, the massive troop losses and the militants’ resurgence underscore serious weaknesses in military planning, logistics, and coordination between federal and regional forces. They also warn that morale within the Somali army has deteriorated, while Al-Shabaab continues to exploit governance gaps and local grievances to expand its influence. Analysts caution that unless the government undertakes deep structural reforms — including stronger command control, enhanced intelligence sharing, and consistent support from international partners — Somalia risks losing further ground to the militant group in the coming months. |
| Posted by:badanov |