Somalia’s Interior Security Minister has announced that the European Union has trained 680 Darawish personnel since 2024, with the forces now deployed in areas facing challenging security conditions.
Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag made the remarks following a meeting in Mogadishu on Monday with EU Ambassador to Somalia László Máthé and Kęstutis Lančinskas, head of the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia).
Fartaag said the EU-trained personnel were operating in Balcad, Afgooye and Gandarshe, where they had been deployed with equipment to carry out their security duties.
He expressed appreciation for the EU’s assistance, describing the training as an important contribution to strengthening Somalia’s security capabilities.
“The European Union has trained 680 Darawish personnel for us, who operate in areas such as Balcad, Afgooye and Gandarshe,” Fartaag said, adding that the officers were performing their assigned duties in the three locations.
Lančinskas said Somali police officers who had received training through EU-supported programmes had also been deployed to locations where security conditions remained difficult. He noted that the officers were carrying out policing responsibilities in those areas.
The meeting also addressed the broader security situation in Somalia and continued cooperation between the federal government and the European Union.
Ambassador Máthé said discussions covered security developments in Mogadishu, as well as conditions in Puntland and Somaliland.
The EU has supported Somalia through security training, institutional development and programmes aimed at strengthening the capacity of police and other security bodies.
EUCAP Somalia, in particular, works with Somali authorities to improve law enforcement capabilities and maritime security.
The latest discussions highlight continued cooperation between Mogadishu and the EU as Somalia works to strengthen its security institutions and address persistent threats in different parts of the country.