ATMIS Hands Over Third FOB To SNA in Middle Shabelle

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MIDDLE SHABELLE: The AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has handed over another forward operating base to the Somali National Army in the Middle Shabelle region as part of the ongoing transition process.

The ATMIS Sector 5 Commander Col Oscar Hatungimana handed over the instruments of the Ceel Eglow base to SNA Commander in the Middle Shabelle region Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf Nuur.

This is the third Forward Operating Base (FOB) to be handed over to the Somali National Army in the Middle Shabelle region. On Friday last week, ATMIS handed over Jowhar Town FOB has been under the command of the Burundi National Defence Forces (BNDF) since 2014. The FOB, which includes Horseed, Parliament, and State House military bases, serves as a security buffer for safeguarding the Hirshabelle State Presidential Palace, Parliament, and the local community.

ATMIS is winding down its operations in Somalia ahead of the expected complete withdrawal by December this year. Somalia asked the UN Security Council last Friday to cut by half the number of ATMIS troops set to leave the country by the end of this month.

According to the UN Resolution 2710 (2023), the UNSC directed the pull out of 4000 troops by the end of June but Somalia is now seeking the reduction of that number to 2000 owing to security concerns.