“Head-scratching news: General Barise spearheads coalition to hasten al-Shabaab offensive”
Saturday May 13, 2023
A meeting presided over by General Mohamed Ali Barise, the commander of the multinational frontline coalition, was held on Friday at the Joint Operations Center in Mogadishu, and it aimed to speed up operations against al-Shabab. Key figures present at the meeting included the Special Presidential Envoy for Civilian Protection and Stabilization, Mohamed Abdi Ware, Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia, Thomas Chepkuto, and military representatives from Kenya and Somalia.
Sharing his thoughts on Twitter, the envoy said, “Together with Task Force Commander MajGen Barise, we had the pleasure to welcome His Excellency Thomas Chepkuto, Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia, at the Joint Operations Center. We reiterated the importance of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and civilian protection to Somali National Army (SNA) and Kenyan Defense Force (KDF) officers.”
Apparently, this meeting follows a summit hosted by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on February 1st in Mogadishu. Leaders from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti agreed to dispatch additional troops to aid Somali forces in their fight against al-Shabab during the next stage of military actions. As for the start date of the second phase of the operation, it remains under discussion. The national security advisor to the Somali president clarified that these new troops would not be part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
