MOGADISHU — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has ordered several Somali National Army battalions stationed in and around Mogadishu to be transferred from the military’s Ground Forces Command to the Presidential Guard’s 77th Brigade, according to multiple senior military officers with direct knowledge of the decision who spoke to Baaritaan.
The officers, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss internal military orders, said the directive effectively places the units under the operational control of Villa Somalia, marking one of the most significant changes to the army’s command structure since President Mohamud returned to office in 2022.
According to the sources, the order affects the 81st, 85th, 86th, 87th and 90th battalions, all of which had previously answered to the Somali National Army’s Ground Forces Command. They said commanders of the affected units have already been informed of the changes.
Several officers familiar with the restructuring told Baaritaan the presidency intends to subject the battalions to a comprehensive internal review modelled on reforms previously carried out within the Presidential Guard. The review, they said, is expected to identify officers and soldiers considered “politically unreliable or insufficiently loyal to the current administration”.
“The restructuring is not simply administrative,” one senior officer said. “It is intended to ensure that forces around Mogadishu answer directly to the presidency.”
A second military source said the changes are designed to consolidate command over troops deployed across the capital, its outskirts and key security installations, reducing the authority previously exercised by the Ground Forces Command.
The officers told Baaritaan that preparations for the reorganisation began several months before armed clashes erupted in Mogadishu on June 4. According to the sources, internal assessments were conducted to identify officers believed to have links to opposition figures or whose loyalties were considered uncertain.
The Office of the President, the Ministry of Defence and the Somali National Army’s Ground Forces Command did not respond to requests for comment before publication.
The restructuring comes as Somalia experiences growing political tensions over constitutional reforms, elections and the future of the country’s security institutions.While the government has repeatedly said reforms are intended to improve military coordination and strengthen operations against al-Shabab, critics have accused the administration of centralising power within the presidency.
Nevertheless, the transfer would place a substantial portion of the troops responsible for securing Mogadishu under the direct authority of the Presidential Guard, further expanding the presidency’s influence over the capital’s security architecture.
