Somalia’s government has taken action against members of the Danab unit, an elite commando force trained by the United States, following allegations of theft involving rations provided by the US. The Danab unit has been a linchpin in US-supported endeavors to combat the al-Qaeda-affiliated militant organization al-Shabaab. With the US pledging over $100 million to establish up to five military bases for Danab, the recent incident has raised significant concerns.
In response to the allegations, Somalia’s defense ministry announced the suspension and detention of several individuals from the commando unit, signaling a decisive move to address the issue. Furthermore, the ministry emphasized its commitment to transparency by notifying international partners and launching an investigation to uncover the extent of the theft.
While the United States takes all accusations of corruption seriously, a US official acknowledged the situation and expressed a willingness to collaborate with Danab to implement robust accountability measures. The official underscored the importance of preventing similar incidents in the future to safeguard future assistance efforts. However, the statement did not directly address whether US support had already been affected by the incident.
The relationship between the United States and Danab dates back to 2017 when the US initiated training and equipping efforts aimed at bolstering the capabilities of the 3,000-strong commando force. Danab was envisioned as a rapid response unit to counter al-Shabaab’s insurgency, which has plagued Somalia since 2006.
Despite initial successes in reclaiming territory from al-Shabaab, recent military efforts have encountered challenges. Government-allied forces, including Danab, have struggled to maintain control over rural areas, allowing al-Shabaab to continue staging large-scale attacks, including in the capital, Mogadishu.
This incident echoes past concerns about accountability in Somalia’s military. In 2017, the US suspended defense assistance following an inability to account for food and fuel allocations. Additionally, the US has conducted drone strikes targeting al-Shabaab militants as part of its counterterrorism efforts in the region.
