The African Union (AU) recently handed over a large batch of military equipment to Somalia’s military, including Tiger armoured vehicles, fuel and water tankers, helmets, and vests.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia said the equipment was received on 27 March and included armoured vehicles, engines, medical supplies, fuel and water tankers, helmets, vests, and other essential resources to bolster the country’s security infrastructure and contribute to regional stability.
Photos show about half a dozen Tiger vehicles were handed over. Somalia is no stranger to the type, with the Somali National Army having received a dozen Tigers in September 2017 to help fight al Shabaab militants. The vehicles delivered in 2017 were painted in a standard Chinese People’s Liberation Army camouflage scheme, indicating they were second hand vehicles, but the Tigers delivered in March were painted white with AU markings.
The 6.5 ton Tiger is manufactured by China’s Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles Company. It was first introduced on the international market in 2012. It can accommodate nine soldiers plus two crew. It has a kerb weight of 4 500 kg and useful load of 1 100 kg. An overhead turret can be armed with a machinegun or grenade launcher. The vehicle can withstand 7.62 mm armour piercing rounds. A Cummins ISDE200-30 diesel engine gives a top speed of 115 km/h and range of 600 km. In Africa, the Tiger has also been exported to Mozambique.
The new batch of equipment received in March was accepted by Somali Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union Abdullahi Mohamed Warfa. Its delivery was facilitated by an African Union Continental Logistics Base (CLB) team in Douala, Cameroon.
“The Federal Republic of Somalia extends its heartfelt appreciation to the African Union for its continued and invaluable support, which strengthens regional security, supports institutional development, and advances counterterrorism efforts, reaffirming the shared dedication to fostering long-term stability, resilience, and progress across the continent,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia said.
Somalia has received a large number of donated vehicles over the years, including RG31s and Reva IIIs from the United Arab Emirates, Kirpi APCs from Turkey, Storm APCs from Qatar, and MAV 5 light armoured vehicles from Italy. Other transfers include Acmat Bastions, and AT105 Saxon armoured personnel carriers. Six South African Puma M26 APCs were delivered in 2021, followed by six Bell 412 and Bell 205 helicopters from Somalia in 2022-23.
The African Union has also provided other support to Somalia, for example in 2017 handing over mobile kitchen units, sleeping bags, mosquito nets, non-metallic bullet-proof helmets and tents. China has also provided equipment in the past – in 2022 it transferred five water bowsers, five fuel trucks, 20 offroad trucks, five high mobility field ambulances and 22 metal/mine detectors to Somalia.
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