The Officer Who Helped Make Mogadishu Safer Bids Farewell as Command Changes Hands

Mogadishu (WDN) – One of the military officers widely credited with transforming security in Somalia’s capital has quietly left office, bringing an end to a chapter that many residents associate with one of the most significant improvements in public safety in recent years.

Colonel Aadan Jeelle Ali, the former commander of the Somali Military Police’s 23rd Brigade, formally handed over command on Friday to his successor during an official ceremony, closing a tenure that saw Mogadishu emerge from one of its darkest periods of insecurity. In his farewell remarks, Colonel Aadan Jeelle expressed confidence in the new commander and voiced hope that the progress achieved under his leadership would not only continue but advance even further.

“I have full confidence in his leadership,” he said. “I hope the new commander I am handing over to will take Mogadishu’s security to an even better level than where it stands today.” The remarks reflected the professionalism for which the veteran officer has become known, offering encouragement to his successor despite leaving behind a position in which many believe he made an extraordinary contribution.

When Colonel Aadan Jeelle assumed command of the 23rd Brigade, Mogadishu faced relentless security threats. Suicide bombings frequently shook the capital, armed criminal gangs terrorized neighborhoods, and the notorious ciyaal weero —violent youth gangs blamed for robberies, assaults, and killings—had become a daily menace to ordinary citizens.