FOCUS ON
SOMALIA
Celebration 12 April marked the 53rd anniversary of the Somali National Army (SNA) and was celebrated by a military parade at the newly refurbished Ministry of Defence in the Somali capital Mogadishu attended by President Hassan Sheik Mohamud and commanders of the Somali military and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The country is rebuilding it’s army, along with many state institutions and facilities after being racked by years of internal conflict and division and is enjoying it’s longest period of relative peace since major operations by the SNA supported by forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia forced the Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist group Al Shabaab out of the Somali capital in August 2011. © AU-UN IST PHOTOS / STUART PRICE
ABOVE: Members of the Somali Navy march past during a military parade at the newly refurbished Ministry of Defence building. RIGHT, TOP to BOTTOM: Soldiers of the Somali National Army (SNA) and an armed personnel carrier commander salute their commander-in-chief, President Hassan Sheik Mohamud.
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RIGHT: Somalis watch the proceedings flanked by the country’s national flag. BELOW: A band plays music ahead of the military parade. BOTTOM, LEFT to RIGHT: The SNA’s military band play national songs to mark the 53rd anniversary of the army. Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Nur addresses the gathered delegation. Somali president Hassan Sheik Mohamud speaks following the military display, saying “the Somali National Army is the backbone and the pride of the nation”. www.amisom-au.org Click to watch video
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© AU-UN IST PHOTOS / STUART PRICE