Sunday September 7, 2025
FILE Gen. Liiban Ali Yarrow, chief justice of Somalia’s military court
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s chief military judge warned government troops Sunday that they will face prosecution if they engage in politics, disobey battlefield orders, or violate military discipline.
Gen. Liiban Ali Yarrow, who heads the armed forces court, told Somali National Army units that political involvement is strictly forbidden for serving soldiers. He said any soldier seeking to enter politics must first resign, shed the uniform, and publicly declare that he is no longer part of the army.
“Any soldier who abandons the battlefield or engages in clan-based favouritism will be brought before the military court,” Yarrow said in his address.
The general urged troops to remain focused on their duty of safeguarding the country and protecting civilians. He warned that political entanglements could undermine their mission and weaken the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab.
His remarks come as Somali forces carry out expanded offensives against the militant group, which has waged a deadly insurgency for more than 15 years. The warning also follows recurring reports that some soldiers have been suspected of entanglement in political rivalries, complicating government efforts to keep the security services unified.
