African Union declares plan to reduce Somalia troop deployment by 3,000 soldiers

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

“We are making preparations to withdraw an additional 3,000 troops from Somalia as part of the second phase of the African Union peacekeeping mission,” announced Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding, the mission’s commander, during a press conference in Mogadishu.

This withdrawal of troops comes after the first batch of 2,000 peacekeeping forces left the country earlier this year. The Somalia Transition Plan (STP), developed by the Somali government and its partners, is guiding this process of transferring security responsibility to the Somali armed forces.

Lt. Gen. Okiding emphasized that ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) will continue working closely with the Somali government, the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), and other partners to ensure a seamless transition of security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces.

“To prevent a security vacuum upon our exit from Somalia by the end of December 2024, ATMIS will implement comprehensive measures,” added Lt. Gen. Okiding.

The African Union Mission in Somalia, previously known as AMISOM and currently referred to as ATMIS, has been operating in Somalia since 2007. Mandated by the UN Security Council and authorized by the African Union, this multidimensional mission aims to support the Somali government in its fight against the al-Shabaab terrorist group.

The al-Shabaab terror group has intensified its attacks since Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was reelected for a second term last year, declared an “all-out war” on them.