Tag: Somalia
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Sida’s Aid to Somalia Under Scrutiny: Secret Deal and Deportations
Overview: A Suspicious Turn in Swedish Aid to Somalia In December 2023, Sweden’s aid agency Sida reportedly became involved in a confidential agreement with Somalia. According to a Swedish public radio report, 100 million kronor set aside for development aid were redirected toward projects closely associated with the Somali prime minister’s administration. The stated quid…
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Sida’s Somalia Aid Controversy: Sweden’s Secret 100m Switch and Deportation Links
Overview of the controversy surrounding Sweden’s aid to Somalia In a development cycle that has raised eyebrows among aid observers, reports suggest Sweden’s aid agency, Sida, was involved in a December 2023 agreement with Somalia that reportedly kept the terms confidential. The plan allegedly redirected roughly 100 million kronor from Sweden’s development budget toward initiatives…
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Swedish Soldiers Aid USA in Secret Somalia Operation
What Expressen Reports Expressen reports that Swedish soldiers have been secretly deployed to Somalia to assist a U.S. operation against the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. The newspaper says roughly 15 operatives from the Royal Life Guards’ special units (KTSU) are involved. Unlike traditional armed troops, this group is described as not being dressed or tasked…
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Swedish Soldiers Help USA in Secret Somalia Operation
Stockholm — Sweden has reportedly deployed a small group of unarmed soldiers from the Livgardet’s special units (KTSU) to Somalia to assist a US-led mission against the al-Shabaab militant group, according to Expressen. The paper says roughly 15 operatives are involved. They are not classified as armed soldiers, and their work centers on forensic investigations,…
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Swedish Military Assists USA in Somalia with KTSU Biometric Experts
Overview A small but high-profile deployment highlights expanding security cooperation between Sweden and the United States. Swedish specialists from the Livgardets (Royal Guard) Kriminalteknisk säkerhetsunderrättelsetjänst, known as KTSU, are reported to have joined US-led forces in Somalia. The mission focuses on crime-scene forensics, including homemade bombs, as well as biometric and digital data analyses. Swedish…
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Swedish troops secretly aid US in Somalia operation
What the reports say According to Swedish newspaper Expressen, a covert deployment of about 15 operators from the Royal Guard’s special unit, the KTSU, has been sent to Somalia to support a U.S. counterterrorism mission against the extremist group al-Shabaab. The account describes the group as non-armed personnel whose tasks are technical and analytical in…
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Sweden’s KTSU Joins US Forces in Somalia: DNA and Biometric Work
Overview of the operation Sweden is reportedly contributing a small team from its Kriminalteknisk säkerhetsunderrättelsetjänst (KTSU) to activities with US forces in Somalia. The unit is said to come from the 13th Security Battalion and, according to Swedish press reports, operates under a rotating staff model. The summer deployment involves a combination of on‑site field…
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Sweden’s Special Forces Aid USA in Somalia with DNA Biometrics
Sweden’s Special Forces in Somalia: The scope of the mission A small contingent from Kriminalteknisk säkerhetsunderrättelsetjänst (KTSU) — the Criminal Technical Security Intelligence Service — part of the 13th Security Battalion, is reported to have deployed to Somalia this summer to work alongside American forces under US Africa Command (AFRICOM). The unit is described as…
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Somalia aid deal reshapes Swedish aid policy and debates
Somalia aid deal: a turning point in Sweden’s aid policy A Swedish radio investigation has raised questions about whether the Swedish government quietly redirected about 100 million kronor in aid in December 2023. The funds, according to the report, were moved to projects located near Somalia’s prime minister, with the understanding that Somalia would accept…
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Sweden’s Somalia aid deal raises questions over transparency and repatriations
Background: a confidential December 2023 arrangement Sweden’s government is under scrutiny over a reported, confidential arrangement linked to Somalia’s handling of returned migrants. According to Sveriges Radio, in December 2023 about 100 million kronor were redirected from existing aid to projects that were considered to align with the Somali prime minister’s priorities. In exchange, Sweden…