Military chiefs visit Somali and AU troops stationed in Central region

BELEDWEYNE, Somalia - Top army chiefs on Wednesday visited troops serving in Beledweyne, central Somalia as part of a motivation mission, as the security forces intensify the war against Al-Shabaab militants, who still control huge sections of central and southern parts of the country.

Somali National Army [SNA] boss General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh and AMISOM Force Commander Lt. General Diomede Ndegeya visited Sector 4 of AMISOM, which has played a critical role in neutralizing the militants in the region for over a decade.

Such trips, AMISOM said, form part of wider efforts to enhance coordination and joint military operations against the militant group, Al-Shabaab. The AMISOM Djibouti contingent supported by the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, ENDF, supports Somali security forces to secure Beletweyne, in the Hiiraan region, Somalia.

Upon their arrival in the region, the two military commanders who were accompanied by other senior AMISOM and SNA military officers were received by Col. Abdirahman Riyale Hared, the Djibouti contingent commander, and other senior military officers in the region.

They inspected a guard of honor by AMISOM troops and later held a closed-door security meeting with the sector commander and other military officers.

“Today we welcomed AMISOM Force Commander, Somalia National Army Chief of Defense Forces, and the Commander of Somali infantry division who came to boost the upcoming joint operations by AMISOM and SNA aimed at liberating the remaining areas under the control of Al-Shabaab. They had a lengthy discussion and agreed to table the outcome of their meeting in the next meeting between AMISOM and SNA” said Col. Abdirahman Riyale Hared, the Djibouti contingent commander.

Mohamed Tahlil Bihi, the Commander of the Somali infantry division who accompanied the delegation from Mogadishu noted that commanders had committed to deepen coordination between the forces and strengthen security in their Area of Responsibility [AoR[.

“We discussed the security of Beletweyne town and Somalia in general and the coordination between AMISOM troops and Somalia security forces. We had a good understanding of the cooperation between the two forces and how to enhance the security of the region” he said.

Late last year, AMISOM and SNA military commanders, at the Sector Commanders conference, held in Mogadishu committed to enhancing coordination on joint military operations to counter the threat posed by Al-Shabaab terrorists.

At the end of the conference, the commanders signed an agreement establishing a Joint Operations Coordination Cell, which will allow them to conduct joint targeted offensives against Al-Shabaab, to liberate territories ahead of the transfer of security responsibilities to Somali security forces, in line with the revised Concept of Operations [CONOPs] 2018-2021 and the Somali Transition Plan [STP].

The Al-Shabaab continues to wreak havoc in the country, with their latest deadly mission being executing five men in Jilib town, Middle Jubba, over claims that they were CIA agents. However, the group did not provide proof of the executions.