On January 23, 2025, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro appointed new leaders for the nation’s military and police forces.
Major General Nimcan Yusuf Osman Gahnug has been named the new military commander, and Major General Abdurahman Abdullahi Hassan Abdi Dheere will serve as the new police chief.
Maj. Gen. Gahnug, notably the youngest officer to assume the highest military position in Somaliland, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in military science from institutions in Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, with a focus on international security and military leadership.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in advanced military studies at a university in Taiwan.
Maj. Gen. Dheere, the newly appointed police chief, previously served as the military spokesman and was among the highest-ranking officers in the military.
The outgoing military chief, Brigadier General Nuh Ismail Tani, who was the longest-serving commander in the military, has been appointed as the President’s Special Advisor on Military Affairs.
Former police chief Brigadier General Mohamed Aden Sagadhi is the new President’s Special Advisor on Police Affairs.
In addition to these appointments, President Irro announced a 50% salary increase for the armed forces, fulfilling part of his campaign promise to boost army pay.
This increase is set to take effect in the 2025 fiscal year and is the first of several annual raises the president committed to during his campaign.
He had promised a 250% increase in military salaries during his first term.
The president also mandated the implementation of an IRIS Biometric Registration System for all Somaliland armed forces, with registration set to begin on February 1, 2025, and be completed within 30 days.