embarassing
VIP
Maxamed Cabdulle Xalane, born in 1943 in Ceelbuur, joined the Somali Armed Forces on the 20th of June 1960. He was killed in the Somali-Ethio border dispute in 1964. The monument of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Taallada Daljirka Dahsoon) was erected in honour of him and the countless unknown servicemen that died during these wars.
Late Somali President, Mohammed Siad Barre, speaking about his history, said:
Let me tell you the story about Maxamed Cabdulle Xalane; he was a Somali soldier, killed by the Ethiopians in Tog-Wajaale (a border town that seperates Ethiopia and the region of Somaliland). He was part of a Somali border guard squad. Once on a given night, they were attacked and killed; save three of them who dug in a trench near where the Somali flag was flying high. One of those three was Maxamed Cabdulle Xalane.
Once they knew that they could not hold of the advancing Ethiopian army, they collectively decided to retreat to a much safer location ’till reinforcements arrive. Maxamed Cabdulle Xalane quickly decided to remove the flag from the flagmast lest it falls in the hands of the enemy. Half-way whilst trying to lower the flag; the enemy spotted his action and sprayed him with machine-gun fire. Heavily wounded, he still managed to remove the flag, draping himself with it, and painfully crawling back to the trench where the rest of his compatriots were located. Unfortunately, he did not make it as he breathed his last after throwing the Somali flag in to the trench. His final words will be be rembered through the ages as he loudly uttered: “The enemy is not made of steel”.
Even though Maxamed lost his life; his action to safeguard his national flag will be remembered with a golden medal, and the official naming of this building (Military Training Centre) to Xalane Military Training Centre.
It is best to remember the situation at that time. Our enemy vastly outnumbered us in terms of weaponry and food supplies. They harassed our people and wished to exterminate us. Our soldiers, who were outnumbered, have shown steadfastness in the face of adversity. They never left their defence positions and were in aweful state physically. I painstakingly witnessed their suffering. Once on a given day ([during the war], I went to their trenches to check upon their state. They ate meagre portions of plain-cooked rice and had little to no medical supplies. Given their disadvantaged situation, they were still buoyant and still maintained a high level of morale and refused to let the enemy enter Somali soil.
I am sure you heard and already know that even the badly wounded ones, refused to sit idle. Instead, they left the hospitals, took their weapons and returned to the front-lines; with the mindset that if they are going to die, why not die in a battlefield instead on a hospital bed. They are still present amongst you [speaking to the public].
I remember asking them, whilst they were holed up inside the trenches: “Waryaa, you are barely clothed; how are you going to bear the heat of the sun or the nightly cold”, they replied: “What makes me forget the effects of the cold and the heat is my honour, my country [patriotism], and my faith [Islamic faith]. I am not sick and by the will of God will not be sick. You might think so but do not be afraid for the enemy will never capture this trench unless it is over my dead body.
I will truly never forget those words until my last day.
