President Hassan Sheikh lobbies for support in Al-Shabaab war in Somalia

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has continued to push for assistance in the fight against Al-Shabaab, with the country now fully involved in various operations against the militants who still control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

Somalia rolled up the war against Al-Shabaab in central regions, an outing that has successfully helped to neutralize over 3,000 Al-Shabaab militants. Currently, the military is involved in combing exercises within the HirShabelle and Galmadug states.

On Wednesday, Hassan Sheikh held a meeting with European Union [EU] President Charles Michel in which they discussed the fight against Al-Shabaab, who have threatened stability in the Horn of Africa nation. The European Union is one of the largest financial partners of Somalia on both development and security fronts.

"I had a fruitful meeting with EU Council President Charles Michel. Our government is steadfast in its commitment to eradicating the threat of terrorism, advancing democratization and state-building, and propelling growth. We are pleased with our cooperation with the EU at all levels," Hassan Sheikh said.

The European Union finances the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] which has been assisting the Somali National Army [SNA] to restore peace and stability in the country. The EU anticipates that the country will stabilize by December 2024 when the mission troops exit.

On the sidelines, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also discussed security issues in Somalia with Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in which the fight against Al-Shabaab immensely featured.

"President Hassan Mohamud met with Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in Brussels. They discussed the latest security developments, including the ongoing fight against the terrorists and the EU’s post-ATMIS security support to Somalia."

The second phase of operations against the Al-Shabaab group is set to kick off in Jubaland and Southwest states once operations in central regions are complete. President Hassan Sheikh has also invested in targeting Al-Shabaab sources of revenue, which have been locked in the last few months.

GAROWE ONLINE