Senior ATMIS officers join Somalia mission after rigorous training
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Staff Reporter Garowe Online
- Posted On 06-11-2023, 04:49PM
MOGADISHU, Somalia - The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] ushered in 12 staff officers after rigorous training, following their deployment to the Horn of Africa nation, where they are supposed to join the rest of the field officers in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
The induction, a collaborative effort by the United Nations Support Office in Somalia [UNSOS] and United Nations Mine Action Service [UNMAS] ensured a deep understanding of ATMIS’s operational and strategic mandate, ATMIS said.
Major General Peter Muteti, the ATMIS Deputy Force Commander, said the training enabled the officers to familiarize themselves with the mission and its scope as the country battles with Al-Shabaab, who still control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.
Muteti, a member of the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF], insisted that there is a need for the forces to advance to the next phase of operations against Al-Shabaab, who have been on the receiving end, particularly in HirShabelle and Galmadug states.
The next phase is set to focus on Jubaland and Southwest states, but it has been delayed due to ongoing combing exercises in central Somalia by security teams. Over 3,500 militants have been killed within the last 12 months across the country.
Most of the newly deployed officers come from Eswatini, Kenya, and Uganda, and have been in the country for the last several weeks. The officers help in the technical part as the combat troops direct instructions from them.
Lt. Col Cosmus Rutaremwa, an Assistant to the Force Commander, described the training as a unifying force, cementing the officers’ commitment to peace and stability in Somalia.
“The induction has enabled us to work together as a team for the purpose of pacifying Somalia,” said Lt. Col. Rutaremwa who has served in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces [UPDF] for the past 37 years.
GAROWE ONLINE
