ATMIS: Preparations for scale-down of troops in Somalia at advanced stage

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The much anticipated strategic exit of peacekeeping soldiers from Somalia is at an advanced stage, African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] has confirmed, with the first phase set to withdraw 2000 soldiers by the end of June 2023 in compliance with the Kampala accord.

By estimate, there are about 22,000 ATMIS soldiers in Somalia who are critical in the fight against Al-Shabaab, but the United Nations is pushing for strategic withdrawal and subsequent handing over of security responsibilities to the Somali National Army [SNA] in the coming months.

Under Resolutions 2628 and 2670 of the United Nations Security Council [UNSC], ATMIS is expected to start a drawdown of soldiers starting with 2000 in compliance with Somali Transition Plan [STP]. Under this plan, it is anticipated that the SNA Force would have been adequately prepared for the tasks.

Ambassador Mohammed El-Amine Souef, the special representative of the African Union Commission, says a joint technical committee with members drawn from appropriate stakeholders including the Federal Government of Somalia [FGS] and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia [UNSOS] and ATMIS have identified and agreed on, Forward Operating Bases [FOBs] to be handed over from ATMIS to SSF or to be collapsed.

According to the head of the mission, the ATMIS will reduce troops in some Forward Operating Bases where the Somali army is expected to increase the number of soldiers. Incidentally, the plan will be implemented at the time Somalia has requested neighboring countries to deploy more soldiers to the country.

Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka, the Deputy Force Commander in charge of logistics and plan, said the team has released a joint technical committee set to meet before the elapsing of the deadline for the first withdrawal of soldiers from the Horn of Africa nation.

According to him, scaling down of troops in Somalia will not affect security operations against the Al-Shabaab militants. The ATMIS troops are working with SNA soldiers to liberate as many towns from Al-Shabaab, and the plan has worked given that over 3,000 militants were killed in the first phase of operations against the group.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced that the second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab will focus on Jubaland and Southwest states in the coming months. ATMIS, the US Africa Command, and local militia have been actively involved in the operations against the group.

On Sunday, Lt. General Sam Okiding assumed the role of Force Commander and is expected to lead the mission in the withdrawal of troops from the country. Some of the Troops' Contributing Countries include Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, and Burundi but some other countries have also dispatched the police.

GAROWE ONLINE