AU forces in Somalia devise strategy of protecting locals from Al-Shabaab raids

MOGADISHU, Somalia - To execute part of their mandate of protecting civilians, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] has held a security meeting within Jubaland state where organizers discussed ways of putting the Al-Shabaab militants at bay.

Besides protecting civilians within Somalia from the Al-Shabaab, the ATMIS team also explored ways of preventing attacks targeting neighboring Kenya, which the militants have often infiltrated and waged deadly attacks, leading to the Kenya Defence Forces [KDF] active mission in Somalia.

"We need to ensure the Forward Operating Bases [military bases] occupied by the Somali security forces are well establishing a robust security infrastructure," said William Kamoiro, the ATMIS Sector Two commander, in a statement issued Sunday evening in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

During the meeting, the ATMIS and local security committee officials also agreed to form a task force that will be entrusted with the responsibility of developing a comprehensive plan to mitigate the effects of the much anticipated El Nino rains beginning in October.

"Planning for contingencies such as adverse weather conditions is essential to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of the local population and the security forces," Kamoiro noted.

The ATMIS team has been training the Somali National Army on civilian protection which forms part of its core mandate in Somalia. The Somali National Army is set to take over security responsibilities from the foreign troops by December 2024 in compliance with the Somali Transition Plan.

KDF has troops stationed in Sector II of ATMIS within Jubaland and with headquarters at Dhobley, just near the common border with Kenya. There are also a number of KDF soldiers in Sector VI of ATMIS which covers most parts of Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland.

ATMIS is credited for protecting several local communities from the jaws of the Al-Shabaab who still control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia. The Al-Shabaab militants have, however, lost several strategic towns following the offensive by the Somali forces and those in ATMIS.

"Public security in Dhobley district is good; our forces are engaged in joint operations to deter any attempts by al-Shabab to disrupt the peace and security of our people," said Mohamed Heybe Muhumad, the commander of the Somali security forces in Dhobley in Lower Juba region under Jubaland state.

GAROWE ONLINE