Military of Somaliland

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Military of Somaliland
Military manpower
Military age Officially 18 years of age
Availability males age 18-49: ~595,000 (2005)[citation needed]
Fit for military service males age 18-49: ~340,000 (2005)[citation needed]
Reaching military age annually males: n/a
Active troops Est. 64,000[citation needed]
Military expenditures
Dollar figure $10 million (extrapolation--see below)
Percent of GDP 0.9% (2005)[citation needed]

The Somaliland Armed Forces (Somali: Ciidanka Qaranka) are the main military system in the unrecognised Republic of Somaliland. They compose of three main military services: the Army, the Navy and Air Defence Forces. Also, the Somaliland Police Force are part of the internal security forces and are subordinate to the military. The Somaliland Armed Forces takes the biggest share of the government's budget with the police and security forces. [1] The current person in charge of Somaliland's Armed Forces is the Minister of Defence Mudane Adan Mire Mohammed MP.

Operational BM-21 used by the Somaliland armed forces
Operational BM-21 used by the Somaliland armed forces

Currently, the military of Somaliland recives the biggest share of the country's budget. A editorial on a preliminary 2004 budget cited a figure of approximately $6.8 million.[2] Due to Somaliland's lack of international unrecognition, the country receives no foreign assistance to maintain its military.

The army was organised into 12 divisions which comprise of 4 tank brigades, 45 mechanized and infantry brigades, 4 commando brigades, surface-to-air missile brigade, 3 artillery brigades, 30 field battalions, and an air defense battalion.

The serviceability of the equipment is poor and status is unknown.

Centurion main battle tanks M47 Patton main battle tanks T-54/T-55 main battle tanks T-34 medium tanks M41 Walker Bulldog light tanks Panhard AML-90 armoured cars BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicles BTR-40 and BTR-50 tracked armored personnel carriers BTR-60 and BTR-152 wheeled armored personnel carriers Fiat 6614/6616 armored personnel carriers BMR-600 armored personnel carriers BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles M198 155 mm towed howitzers

[edit] Air Defense Forces

The Air Defense Forces consisted of 7 brigades.

The serviceability of the equipment is poor and status is unknown.

  • SA-3 Goa surface-to-air missiles (not operational)
  • SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missiles (not operational)
  • Strela 2 portable surface-to-air missiles (operational status unknown)
  • P-12
  • P-15 Termit - coastal defense surface to surface missiles
  • P-30
  • P-35

[edit] Navy

As of 1991, the navy was not operational. Prior to that, the Somali navy consisted of:


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