Mogadishu, Somalia – The African Union’s peacekeeping force in Somalia, known as the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), announced on Friday that it has successfully completed the second phase of its troop drawdown, which involved the reduction of 3,000 soldiers.
This milestone comes after a four-month delay due to the request made by the Mogadishu government for a three-month “technical pause” in the drawdown, citing recent setbacks against the militant group Al Shabaab.
In a statement released by ATMIS, the force confirmed the completion of Phase Two, during which seven forward operating bases were handed over to the internationally-backed government, while two others were shut down.
Lieutenant General Sam Okiding, commander of ATMIS, stated that preparations for the next phase, Phase Three, which aims to reduce troop numbers by an additional 4,000 soldiers, will commence shortly and are scheduled to be completed by June.
The first two phases of the troop withdrawal have already resulted in a reduction of 5,000 soldiers. Currently, approximately 14,600 troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda remain deployed in Somalia. According to a United Nations calendar, ATMIS is expected to fully withdraw from the Horn of Africa nation by the end of the year, transitioning security responsibilities to Somali security forces.
Lieutenant General Sam Okiding reiterated ATMIS’s commitment to the drawdown process and emphasized the force’s dedication to supporting the Somali government’s efforts to achieve stability and security in the country. ATMIS, which took over from its predecessor force, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), in April 2022, was assigned a more offensive role to bolster the Somali government’s fight against Al Shabaab, a group that has posed a significant security threat in the region since its inception in 2007.
As ATMIS progresses with its phased troop reduction, it remains crucial for the international community to continue supporting Somalia in its pursuit of lasting peace and stability.
The successful completion of the withdrawal process and the subsequent handover to Somali security forces will mark an important milestone in the country’s journey towards self-reliance and the establishment of a secure and prosperous future.
