Families of Somali soldiers say they were tricked into going to Eritrea

Record ID: 1598151

  • Title: Families of Somali soldiers say they were tricked into going to Eritrea
  • Date: 28th January 2021
  • Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (JANUARY 19, 2021) (REUTERS) KHADIJA AHMED AND IFRAH HILOWLE SIITING IN THEIR HOME IN MOGADISHU (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) KHADIJA AHMED, MOTHER OF MISSING SOLDIER, SAYING: "I am a mother of six children, five girls and one boy. The boy is missing and I don't know if he is dead or alive. Their father, a senior military officer, died for his country." MORE OF KHADIJA AND IFRAH SITTING WITH OTHER WOMEN IN THEIR HOME (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) IFRAH HILOWLE, AUNT OF MISSING SOLDIER, SAYING: "He was taken by the government on the pretext of making him a guard for the Qatar World Cup. He was told he would get a large salary. From the day he left, we don't know if he died or not. We've requested the President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, to tell us if our children are alive and show us proof. If they've died, he must bring their bodies to bury." 5, VARIOUS OF KHADIJA AND IFRAH SITTING WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN THEIR HOME MOGADISHU SOMALIA (JANUARY 20, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOTHERS OF MISSING SOLDIERS IN MOGADISHU VARIOUS OF MOHAMED AHMED WALKING AND SITTING WITH MOTHER AND FATHER MISSING SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) MOHAMED DAHIR, FATHER OF TWO MISSING SOLDIERS, SAYING: "Our children were taken to Qatar and lately we haven't received any information from them. We found out that our children may have died in Tigray region (Ethiopia). We heard that over 470 died and another 400 were seriously wounded. We don't know if it's true or not. We are worried about our children day and night and can't sleep."
  • Embargoed: 11th February 2021 09:39
  • Keywords: Eritrea Ethiopia Somalia Tigray
  • Location: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
  • City: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
  • Country: Somalia
  • Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA001DX4AQFR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Somali boys promised jobs in Qatar were tricked into going to Eritrea instead for forced military training, three parents told Reuters, sparking calls from Somali lawmakers for an investigation.
    Parents from five families said that their sons were recruited in 2019 to work as guards for Qatar's 2022 football World Cup preparations.
    The allegations will increase scrutiny on Eritrea - often nicknamed "the North Korea of Africa". The Horn of Africa nation has never held elections, has no independent media and forces citizens into indefinite government service. Former guerrilla leader Isaias Afwerki has been president since 1993.
    Somali aunt Ifrah Hilowle told Reuters last week that her 16-year-old nephew Ali Ahmed, was recruited for a job in Qatar. "He was taken by the government on the pretext of making him a guard for the Qatar World Cup. He was told he would get a large salary. From the day he left, we don't know if he died or not."
    Mohamed Dahir, father of two missing soldiers Hanad and Abdirahman Dahir, said they disappeared under similar circumstances. He told Reuters that his children were taken to Qatar and he hasn't heard from them since.
    Protests erupted last week in the towns of Guriel and Galkayo in central Somalia and the capital Mogadishu after former Somali intelligence official Abdisalam Guled said some boys had been sent to fight in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, where government soldiers are battling rebellious regional forces.
    Guled provided a list of names that he said was given to him by an Ethiopian official. Reuters was unable to independently verify the list.
    A regional security analyst said that about 1,000 Somalis had been recruited - many under the impression they were going to Qatar - and taken to Eritrea. The first cohort had returned and been sent to Gedo in Somalia; the second cohort was unreachable; and the third cohort was still in Eritrea, the analyst said, citing conversations with Somali security officials.
    Eritrean troops entered Tigray, Ethiopia after conflict broke out there on Nov. 4, according to dozens of eyewitness accounts. Both Eritrea and Ethiopia have officially denied Eritrean involvement.
    Ethiopian government officials and Eritrea's information minister, Yemane Meskel did not immediately respond to calls or text messages seeking comment.
    Accusations by all sides are hard to verify as telecommunications are patchy and the Ethiopian government has largely sealed off Tigray.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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