MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has taken over office officially on Monday after a full transfer of power by outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo following a ceremony held at presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu.
President Farmajo spoke about number of soldiers trained in Eritrea and said that 5,000 soldiers sent into Eritrea are still alive and waiting to be brought back home.
Farmajo said he had given their file to the newly-elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed while speaking at the hand-over ceremony in Mogadishu.
He says he could not bring the troops back home to avoid their impact on elections.
“We have trained 5,000 troops in Eritrea. They completed their training last year, and we have delayed their return in order not affect the country’s elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, the new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that he will work on the return of those soldiers so they can join the war on al Shabab — an al Qaeda — linked group.
