COMMENT | Battle of Mogadishu, 30 years on

COMMENT | The year 2023 marks the 30th year of Malbatt 1’s involvement in the battle foray and rescue mission of trapped American Rangers at the Bakara Market in Mogadishu, Somalia. The exact dates are Oct 3 and Oct 4, 1993.

As the former commander, I still distinctly remember the hectic episode. Malbatt 1 had executed an onerous mission with utmost sincerity and success, even at the precious loss of life and injuries to our men.

My then-deputy commander Mohd Rozi Baharom and I truly feel proud of our troop’s commitment, be they officers or other ranks. The rescue mission was fraught with fiery onslaught from Somalian rebel fighters who were heavily armed.

We emerged victorious through sheer grit, discipline and God’s blessing.

Our loss of one precious life in the person of an unsung hero, Mat Aznan Awang was God’s will. We believe in fate and destiny (qadha’ and qadar).

We believe this event has brought immense memories to all those involved. There is a possibility that up until now, there may be some of us are still experiencing some form of stress disorder. We pray that Allah shower them with His blessings and give them strength to move forward.

From the side of the American forces, we received several letters of appreciation thanking and recognising our involvement and contribution to the rescue operation. These letters of appreciation are meaningful, especially to Malbatt 1 and the Malaysian Armed Forces in general.

“Malbatt will have a place in our hearts forever,” said the assistant division commander of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) US Army in Somalia at that time, Greg L Gile. The said letter is as shown below.

Respect and admiration

Meanwhile, the then highest-ranking American officer in Somalia, Thomas Montgomery, who held the dual posts of deputy force commander Unosom II and US Force commander in Somalia, sent a letter of appreciation to Malaysia’s chief of defence force in Kuala Lumpur.

He stated his respect and admiration for our contingent and the fact that many soldiers are alive today because of the willingness and skills of Malaysian, Pakistani and American soldiers working together in the most dangerous and difficult combat circumstances.

He said such performance could only come from disciplined, well-trained and well-led soldiers. The letter is as follows:

As the former commander of Malbatt 1, what I intend to put in writing here is my overwhelming appreciation of being given command of Malbatt 1 where our soldiers have shown utmost discipline and professionalism.

This has been proven as shown in the rescue mission of the trapped American Rangers in the Battle of Bakara Market, Mogadishu.

Soldiers of Malbatt 1 had shown skill and displayed acts of courage in times of need in the heat of battle on the night of Oct 3 and Oct 4, 1993.

Personally, this is not only an act of excellence but also something that gives me great pride.

In my eyes, they - my men of Malbatt 1 - are all heroes. Their contribution and sacrifices should not be forgotten.

From the lessons and experience of the Somalian episode, let us ensure that we, as a multicultural nation, continue to strive for peace, freedom and prosperity.

ABDUL LATIF AHMAD is the former commander of Malbatt 1, Unosom II, Somalia.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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