By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Somalia, 6 November 2025 — Somalia’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Odowaa Yusuf Raage, says an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 individuals currently listed on the army payroll are believed to be retired personnel, wounded veterans, or dependents of fallen soldiers.
Addressing the Upper House on Wednesday, General Odowaa said the estimates emerged during an ongoing military reform and verification process designed to produce an accurate roster and ensure clarity between active-duty troops and those no longer serving.
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“These individuals cannot simply be discarded,” he said. “There must be political and financial arrangements that safeguard their rights while easing the burden on the army, so we can build new units and strengthen capacity for ongoing national security operations.”
The reform programme includes biometric registration, service-status verification and personnel categorisation. General Odowaa noted that the process had previously slowed due to active combat operations but is now nearing completion in Mogadishu as last.
