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ATMIS Intensifies Training on Civilian Protection in Combat Zones in Somalia

Storyline:Security, War on Al-Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Xinhua: African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said Tuesday that its 25 military and police officers completed a five-day training on civilian protection, human rights and civil-military coordination to guide their combat operations in the country.

The AU mission said the training held in Beledweyne town, central Somalia, enhanced officers’ skills for safeguarding civilians during operations against al-Shabab, a terrorist group, as well as improving community relations.

ATMIS Senior Protection and Human Rights Officer and Lead Trainer Gloria Jaase said training ATMIS forces on critical areas affecting civilians is a core mission mandate.

 “One of our key tasks as ATMIS is to train and build the capacity of ATMIS Uniformed personnel to the protection of civilians,” Jaase said in a statement issued from Beledweyne.

She said the training is one of the initiatives to operationalize the African Union Compliance and Accountability Framework. The training drew participants from ATMIS Djibouti and Ethiopian National Defense Forces contingents, Individual Police Officers and Ghana Formed Police Unit.

The military and police officers covered a wide range of topics, including the protection of vulnerable groups such as women and children, International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

The training also focused on civil-military coordination concepts, principles and guidelines, the use of armed escorts for humanitarian convoys and civilian casualty tracking, analysis, and response.

ATMIS has stepped up training of its troops deployed in Somalia to degrade the extremist group al-Shabab as the country is set to have a third peace support operation starting in January 2025.

 In August, the African Union Peace and Security Council approved a proposal to form the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, which will take over from ATMIS, which replaced the country’s first mission (AMISOM) in April 2022.