Brussels BELGA (in French) — [Article: “Belgian Elite Military Outfit in Covert Operation”; as released by Brussels BELGA Database, Somali names as received]

Brussels — Journalists in Somalia, including one from the BELGA press agency, had observed that a “special outfit” was engaged in operations that were kept secret by the armed forces for “security reasons.” The news embargo was broken last week by the Flemish daily HET VOLK.

On Monday, in an interview with BELGA, an army spokesman confirmed at last that soldiers belonging to the company were indeed present in Somalia. He added that the first contingent had just been relieved by troops from the same unit.

Most of the ESR [Specialized Reconnaissance Teams] troops (24 men) are reportedly operating in the Afmadou region (150 km north west of Kismaayo), where they replaced a whole company of paratroopers (100 men).

According to information gathered in the field, these men, working in groups of three or four, are responsible with discreetly watching the movements of followers of the local warlords-General Said Mohamed Hersi, called “Morgan”, and Colonel Omar Jays-and, via radio, letting Belgian Headquarters know of their where-abouts, especially with respect to the port of Kismaayo, on the Indian Ocean. The two rival warlords have long been fighting it out for control of the city.

The first ESR company was created for similar duties. albeit in Europe, in the perspective of a potential aggression from the Warsaw Pact. Its men are trained to operate behind enemy lines for intelligence gathering purposes as well as potential sabotage missions. ESR troops are well versed in all survival techniques, as they must be able to subsist for weeks without outside help, eating plants and captured animals.

Their mission in Somalia is of a similar nature, although weather conditions are very different. A few months ago, an army officer explained to BELGA that the main problem that his men had encountered in Somalia was the scarcity of water inland.

According to the same source, ESR troops achieved a major success a few months ago near Afmadou, when they chanced upon a weapon and ammunition dump that probably belonged to Colonel Jays, an ally of General Aidid, the powerful warlord for whom the United Nations forces in Somalia (UNOSOM II) have been looking.

The first ESR company, which is currently stationed in Spich (Germany), is to be disbanded within the coming months, as provided by the Belgian Armed Forces restructuring plan designed by [Defense Minister] Del-croix. However, several army officials now argue that it should be maintained, claiming that the way ESR troops have been carrying out their mission in Somalia is ample proof of their ability to adapt to new circumstances.

_{FBIS-WEU-93-170-A, 3 Sept. 1993, p. 3}