STORY: 300 Darwish forces graduate and will take over

liberated areas across Somalia

DURATION: 4:15
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC
INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 13/FEB/2020, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Med shot, Somali Police Commissioner, Maj. Gen. Abdi Hassan Mohamed,
saluting as the parade commander seeks permission to proceed with the
pass-out for Darwish forces at General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu,
Somalia
2. Close up shot, Somali Police Commissioner, Maj. Gen. Abdi Hassan
Mohamed, saluting during the pass-out for Darwish forces at General Kahiye
Police Academy in Mogadishu, Somalia
3. Med shot, partners from the EUCAP, EUTM looking on during the pass-out
parade for Darwish forces at General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu,
Somalia
4. Close up shot, parade commander orders for the start of the pass-out for
Darwish forces who have completed training at General Kahiye Police
Academy in Mogadishu, Somalia
5. Med shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
6. Wide shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
7. Med shot, the AMISOM Police Chief of Operations, Ali Gwambal, looking on
during the pass-out parade
8. Med shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
9. Wide shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
10. Med shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
11. Wide shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
12. Med shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
13. Wide shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
14. Med shot, feet of the marching Darwish Police during the pass-out ceremony
at the General Kahiye Police Academy
15. Wide shot, Police band playing
16. Wide shot, Somali Darwish Police march during the pass-out ceremony at the
General Kahiye Police Academy
17. Med shot, Somali Police Commissioner, Maj. Gen. Abdi Hassan Mohamed,
following proceedings during the pass-out of Darwish forces
18. Med shot, guests follow proceedings during the pass-out of Darwish forces
19. Med shot, EUCAP Head of Mission Chris Reynolds following proceedings
during the function
20. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) MAJ. GEN. ABDI HASSAN MOHAMED, SOMALI
POLICE COMMISSIONER
“The Somali Police Force (SPF), in its entirety, is currently undergoing
restructuring and reform. We have SPF who manage and run operations at
police stations, those at federal member states, Darwish forces, Birmad
forces, Haramcad forces and Rapid Response Team (RRT); all are undergoing
complete overhaul aimed at firmly taking full charge of the security of the
country.”

21. Wide shot, Somali Darwish Police listening during the function
22. Med shot, Somali Darwish Police listening during the function
23. Wide shot, singers perform for guests during the function
24. Wide shot, participants following proceedings during the function
25. Med shot, singers perform for guests
26. Med shot, Somali Darwish Police following proceedings during the function
27. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) CHRIS REYNOLDS, HEAD OF EUCAP
“Darwish are trained to bring civil authority to the liberated areas. Obviously
the army can clear and it can hold for a while but eventually you need local
police to arrive. The first element of local police to arrive back is Darwish so
it’s very important that in the transition from military to civil control of the
territory that the Darwish play a vital part and AMISOM pre-deployment
training in that is a critical part as well.”

28. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) BRIG. GEN. ANTONELLO DE SIO, EUTM

COMMANDER
“It has been a pleasure for EUTM to take part in this joint activity. Obviously
AMISOM made a great part and between us is part of what we call the
European Union Integrated Approach.”

29. Med shot, singers perform during the function

30. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) ALI GWAMBAL, CHIEF OF AMISOM POLICE
OPERATIONS AND FORMED POLICE UNIT
 “Darwish is a major component of the police force in terms of stabilization
process that is embedded in the Somali Transition Plan that has to do with
the expansion of policing to most of the recovered areas which the Darwish
will be posted.”

31. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) MAIDA SHAFEEC YUSSUF, A DARWISH

POLICEWOMAN
“For the community to work with you, you have to appeal to them and
attract them, deal with them gently; good begets good. Our aim is to
maintain security, secure people’s lives and property from the enemy.”

300 Darwish forces graduate and will take over liberated areas across Somalia

Mogadishu, 14 February 2020 – A total of three hundred Darwish trainees of the

Somali Police Force have graduated at the General Kahiye Police Training Academy in
Mogadishu after completing a month-long specialised training.

The trainees were first trained in Djibouti for three months before undergoing a
refresher programme at the police academy in January 2020. They are the first batch
of 1,750 Darwish forces to be trained to secure population centres in liberated areas
and newly liberated areas of Lower Shabelle region.

Their training covered combating terrorism, intelligence, patrols, stop and search
techniques, human rights, community policing, criminal justice, policing standards,
gender, public order management, operations, convoy control and management, EOD
and IED awareness.

At the pass out ceremony on Thursday, the Somali Police Commissioner Maj. Gen.
Abdi Hassan Mohamed, urged them to maintain discipline, be exemplary, and share
knowledge and best practices among themselves.

“The Somali Police Force is undergoing restructuring and reform – we have personnel
at police stations across the federal member states – they include the Darwish forces,
Birmad forces, Haramcad forces, and the Rapid Response Team. Our restructuring and
reform exercise will enable us take charge of security,” Maj. Gen. Abdi said.

Instructors from the AMISOM police component supported by the UN Police (UNPOL),
the EU Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP), UN Assistance Mission in
Somalia (UNSOM), and the EU Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM) provided the
training.

The Head of Mission for EUCAP, Chris Reynolds underscored the importance of the
Darwish forces as front line defence in liberated areas. “The Darwish forces have been
trained to bring civil authority to liberated areas. The army can clear and hold for a
while, but eventually, you need local police to maintain law and order,” said Reynolds.
The EUTM Commander, Brig. Gen. Antonello De Sio, highlighted the role played by EU
instructors in the training of the Darwish forces. “This training was an integrated
approach between EU and AMISOM. It’s been a pleasure for EUTM to take part in this
joint activity,” said Brig. Gen. De Sio.

The AMISOM Police Operations Coordinator, Daniel Ali Gwambal, said the Darwish
trainees had acquired skills to support stabilisation efforts in the liberated areas.
“Darwish is a major component of the SPF in stabilisation under the Somalia Transition
Plan. They will police recovered areas,” Gwambal he said.

A Darwish trainee, Maida Shafeec Yussuf, was grateful for the skills acquired and on
behalf of her colleagues, pledged their commitment to supporting the ongoing
stabilisation efforts in Somalia.

“Our role is to maintain security, secure lives, and property against the enemy,” Maida
noted. She encouraged more women to join the police service.

ENDS