Mogadishu (WDN) – In a high-level security reshuffle at the heart of Somalia’s political power, Major General Maslah Mohamud Mohamed was officially inaugurated as the new commander of the elite 77th Battalion guarding Villa Somalia, the presidential palace.

Maj. Gen. Maslah replaces General Hasan Adan Dhiciso, in a ceremony attended by senior officials from Villa Somalia. The change comes at a time of heightened security tensions and internal restructuring within the country’s top defense and security ranks.

In his inaugural speech, the newly appointed commander urged presidential guards to intensify their efforts, emphasizing the critical responsibility they shoulder in safeguarding the nation’s leadership. “We must double our vigilance and uphold our duty with unwavering commitment,” said Maslah.

The appointment is seen as a strategic move by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has been reshuffling key security positions following a recent bomb attack targeting his convoy near the Elgaab junction in Mogadisho. Sources close to Villa Somalia say Maslah, a close relative of the President and a long-trusted officer, has earned the President’s confidence through both loyalty and battlefield leadership.

Maslah has previously served as the commander of the President’s personal guard and now steps into an even broader role overseeing the entire National Presidential Guard Corps. His military credentials include leading successful operations in El Dheer and Masagaway, where he helped mobilize clan-based resistance against Al-Shabaab militants and defended the territory of his native Waysle village, even as many neighboring communities fell under militant control.

The appointment also follows a series of leadership changes in Somalia’s security apparatus. President Hassan recently dismissed the head of the Somali Navy and Coast Guard, reportedly over corruption allegations, replacing him with a new appointee outside the Hawadle constituency.

Meanwhile, former Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur (Jamaca) has been reassigned, with his portfolio now handed over to Minister Gabriel Abdirashid Haji, previously head of the Ministry of Commerce.

Observers say these moves signal a consolidation of control by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over the country’s security and defense institutions amid ongoing threats and internal divisions.

WardheerNews