Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi has rejected concerns that al-Shabab could seize territory if African Union troops leave the country, saying Somali forces are prepared to continue the fight on their own.
Speaking in Mogadishu on Sunday, Fiqi said the Somali government, its security forces and the public were working together to confront the militant group. He added that the campaign would continue whether or not the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia remains deployed.
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“Al-Shabab cannot capture even a single village if AUSSOM leaves Somalia,” Fiqi said.
The minister also condemned unnamed politicians for presenting Somalia to the international community as a failing state with weak security and a risk of falling under al-Shabab’s control.
Fiqi said those claims overlook gains made by Somali forces and weaken public trust in the country’s institutions.
His comments come as the future of AUSSOM remains uncertain, along with arrangements for United Nations logistical assistance to African Union forces operating in Somalia.
The United States has agreed to allow the United Nations another year to phase out its support for African peacekeepers in Somalia, Reuters reported, citing a document it had reviewed.
The decision gives the AU mission more time than had been expected, but does not resolve questions about its longer-term prospects.
AUSSOM depends substantially on U.N. assistance for critical supplies and services, including food, water, fuel, medical care and transportation for troops.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which has stepped back from several international commitments, told the African Union in a diplomatic note in July that it would use its influence to block the continuation of U.N. support for the peacekeepers at the beginning of next year.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant organization, continues to launch attacks across Somalia despite military operations by Somali forces and their international partners.
