Youth Recruitment in Somalia

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Kenyan government has been accused of secretly recruiting and training youths from the north eastern region to fight for the Somali transition government against al-Shabaab.

The al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia has accused Kenyan leadership of secret recruitment of fighters amongst young Kenyan Somalis to fight the Islamist movement.  al-Shabaab Islamic administration representative Sheikh Hassan Yaqub said Kenya’s north eastern region members of parliament (MPs) are responsible for the recruitment.

“Somali MPs in Kenyan parliament are responsible for recruitment of fighters in Kenyan border towns and we are warning them,” said Yaqub.

In the last three weeks at least 200 Kenyans of Somali origin have been recruited.

Habiba Kosar, one of many parents speaking out, said her 18-year-old son is being trained in a Kenyan government security facility.

“My son was picked in the middle of the night.  He is being trained for Somalia.  We have never seen Somalia and have no connection with the country.  I just want my son back,” she said.

Parents in Kenya have petitioned the government and local leaders for return of their children.

“The parents are claiming that their sons are [being] secretly smuggled out of the town in the name of army recruitment.  It is shocking to hear that [the] Kenyan government has indulged itself in such activities which can cause [this] region great concerns,” said Mayor Mohammed Gabow of Garissa town, headquarters of Kenya’s north eastern province.

Gabow accused the government of luring young men with large sums of money because of the rampant unemployment.

Both the Kenyan and Somali transitional government deny these claims.

“This is cheap propaganda disseminated by some militia groups in Somalia,” said a spokesman.  “What I am aware of is that the Kenya government and, by extension the Kenya police, has been, and will continue to be, training Somali youths to serve as policemen in their country.”

Kenyan authorities are accused of directly supporting the recruitment drive.

Escaped recruit Sharmarke Abdi said he escaped after two weeks of training alongside hundreds of Kenyan and Somali youths.

“We were told that the United Nations was supporting the recruitment.  We were transported in government vehicles.  We began training immediately.  Some of the trainers were from Somalia,” he said.

Conflict in Somalia continues as Islamist fighters and transitional government troops keep fighting.  Most recently, two have been killed and five others injured after heavy fighting with bitter shelling.  Islamists are fighting in favor of converting to an Islamic state while the current President is heading a transitional government.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Youth Lured to Fight in Somalia – 07 November 2009

All Africa – Somalia: Fighting Kills Two, Wounds Five Others in North Mogadishu – 07 November 2009

Garowe Online – Somalia: Al-Shabaab Accuses Kenyan MPs Over Youth Recruitment – 07 November 2009

Impunity Watch – Kenya Recruiting Soldiers in Somalia – 25 October 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive