Desertions erode security forces

Somalia’s army and police have been gutted as most soldiers and police officers have deserted, often taking their weapons and vehicles, a U.N. Security Council report says.

There has been “an 80% erosion and attrition in the security sector, by which over 15,000 soldiers and police had deserted or defected along with their arms, uniforms, skills and vehicles in some cases,” South Africa’s U.N. ambassador, Dumisani Kumalo, told the council.

He also said there had been a “steady disintegration” of the government.