Al-Shabab Could Recapture Sectors Under AU Troops

Reducing the African Union troops in Somalia could trigger sweeping attacks from Al-Shabab leading to the recapture of sectors formerly under the control of the African Union Transition in Somalia force, known as ATMIS.

Local authorities in Somalia have appealed to the African Union to reverse the decision to draw down the African Transition Mission in Somalia citing a risk of Al-Shabab attacks that may lead to recapture of sectors that ATMIS had fully dominated.

The AU wants to gradually reduce the number of troops until December of 2024, when the mission concludes.

However, Somali local authorities contend that ATMIS drawdown should be extended for not less than five years from the slated 24th December 2024 until the Somali National Army and Police have built enough capacity to deal with the Al-Shabab terror group.

The drawdown of the 2,000 soldiers, 400 from each of the five troop-contributing countries – Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda – will bring the size of the force down to 16,586.

The AU has agreed with the Somali government to pull out another 3,000 troops by the end of September.

Mohamud Sayid Aden Deputy president of Jubaland, a region where Kenyan and Ethiopian troops operate previously said, “the enemy is going to get an advantage. The civilians who relied on the Somali and ATMIS forces will face revenge from al-Shabab militants.”

The AU wants to gradually reduce the number of troops until December of 2024, when the mission concludes.

The drawdown of the 2,000 soldiers, 400 from each of the five troop-contributing countries – Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda – will bring the size of the force down to 16,586.

The AU had agreed with the Somali government to pull out another 3,000 troops by the end of September.

“It’s a plan not well-thought out, it’s hasty,” Aden said.

Aden called for the drawdown to be “paused and reviewed.”

However, an AU official on condition of anonymity said that he doesn’t expect all 2,000 of the troops being withdrawn to be unavailable to Somalia.

He said troops from Ethiopia and Uganda could continue to support the Somali National Army in fighting against al-Shabab on a bilateral basis – that is, not affiliated with ATMIS.

Source » taarifa.rw