When the Federal Republic of Somalia needs to attend to pressing issues of national interest, the Somalia Special Forces Unit Alpha Group steps in with its counter-terrorism and intelligence gathering capabilities. The main function of this unit is to detect and impede threats against the safety of the state and its citizens. The unit places special emphasis on counter-terrorism and in 2014, the force established the Alpha Group Gaashaan corps (“Shield”) to form a strategic part of the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia. Only the top 40 soldiers from the Somali National Army are selected for this unit.
