In order to fulfill their mission of protecting civilians, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) recently conducted a security meeting in Jubaland state.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss strategies for combating the Al-Shabaab militants and preventing attacks in neighboring Kenya. William Kamoiro, the ATMIS Sector Two commander, emphasized the importance of establishing strong security infrastructure in the military bases occupied by the Somali security forces.
In addition to addressing security concerns, the ATMIS and local security committee officials agreed to form a task force responsible for developing a comprehensive plan to mitigate the effects of the upcoming El Nino rains. Kamoiro stressed the necessity of contingency planning to ensure the safety and well-being of the local population and security forces.
As part of their core mandate, the ATMIS team has been training the Somali National Army on civilian protection, and it is anticipated that the Somali National Army will assume security responsibilities from foreign troops by December 2024.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has troops stationed in Sector II of ATMIS in Jubaland, with headquarters in Dhobley near the border with Kenya. Mohamed Heybe Muhumad, the commander of the Somali security forces in Dhobley, expressed confidence in the public security situation in the area and stated that joint operations are being conducted to deter any attempts by Al-Shabaab to disrupt peace and security.
