The Somali Ministry of Defense received a shipment of US military aid to support Mogadishu forces in its war against Al-Shabaab, while 5 countries, including the United States, expressed their support for the Somali government in fighting armed groups.
According to the official Somali News Agency, Mogadishu International Airport received on Tuesday a US Air Force plane loaded with a shipment of military equipment to support the Somali forces.
"The aim of this shipment is to support the Somali forces in their war against Al-Shabaab. We are proud to stand by our allies," said Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Mogadishu, Tim Trinkle - during a press conference at the airport.
For his part, Somali Defense Minister Abdul Qadir Mohamed Nour said that his country had received these weapons to confront what he described as terrorists.
For months, Somali government forces have been carrying out military operations - in cooperation with armed tribal groups - against Al-Shabaab, during which they announced the killing of hundreds of the movement's fighters and the restoration of control over many areas.
Yesterday, Tuesday, the US State Department announced the allocation of a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the leader and spokesman for the Al-Shabaab movement, Ali Muhammad Raghi.
Five-fold support
Meanwhile, a joint statement issued by the governments of Qatar, Somalia, Turkey, the UAE, the United Kingdom, and the United States stated that these parties support the Somali government's focus on combating terrorism, and that they agreed to ensure the delivery of aid and stability in the areas the government has recovered from terrorists, as described in the statement. .
These parties also supported the efforts of the Somali National Consultative Council to promote political reconciliation and finalize the constitution.
It also agreed to continue working and to hold a meeting in Doha during the next three months to assess progress in those aspects.
For its part, the US State Department stated - in a statement - that representatives of the six governments met yesterday, Tuesday, and expressed their concern about the conflict in and around Las Anod, a disputed town in Somaliland, in the north of the country, which is a unilaterally declared republic.
"The partners expressed their concern about the ongoing conflict... and called on all parties to abide by the ceasefire and de-escalation, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and engage in constructive and peaceful dialogue," the statement said.
At least 34 people were killed in clashes between soldiers and anti-government fighters in the town of Las Anoud in February.