AU mission closes two military bases in the second phase of troop drawdown in Somalia

Kampala, Uganda | The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), with logistical support from the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), has completed phase two drawdown, which involved reducing the troop count by 3000 soldiers.

ATMIS transferred seven Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and closed two others.

The FOBs transferred include State House and Parliament from ATMIS Uganda People’s Defence Forces in Sector One; Bio Cadale, Raga Ceel, and Qorillow from ATMIS Burundi National Defence Forces in Sector Five; Burahache from ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces in Sector Two; and Old Airport from ATMIS Ethiopia National Defence Forces in Sector Six.

The FOBs in Sarille and Old Kismayo Airport were closed – both were from ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces in Sector Six and Two respectively.

At an official ceremony in Mogadishu, the African Union Special Representative for Somalia and Head of ATMIS, Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, and Somalia’s National Security Advisor, Hussein Sheikh Ali, signed the Land Release Title Agreement. This agreement marks the official transfer of control from ATMIS to the Federal Government of Somalia.