U.S. to continue support for Somali Forces as ATMIS exits- Chargé d’affaires

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The U.S. government will continue its support to the Somali Security Forces to stabilise the country as the African Union forces gradually exit the country, a U.S. diplomat in Mogadishu has said.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with Goobjoog News in Mogadishu, US Charge chargé d’affaires Shane Dixon said the US government will strive to build a strong Somali Security Force to enable it to take up security responsibilities.

“The U.S. embassy will support the needs and request of the Federal Government of Somalia,” Dixon said noting that, “We’ve always supported them and the request in this regard, we will continue supporting them.”

Dixon added that ‘Al-Shabaab is not the future, the Somali government, the Somali people are the future. So, we will continue working closely with them, we will continue working with ATMIS, with or without the withdrawal.’

Regarding the ongoing war against Al-Shabaab which is nearing completion of the first phase, Dixon reiterated his government’s support to the Somali National Army and the government.

“The US government is engaged very closely with the Somali government and the Somali military. We work shoulder to shoulder with them in the fight against Al-Shabaab especially with the Danab and the SNA.” Danab is a US-trained special forces unit of the Somali National Army.

Dixon added that the US Treasury is also working with the Federal Government in tracking and cutting off financing to Al-Shabaab.

Somalia sent a request to the UN Security Council last week seeking a 90-day for the withdrawal of the additional 3,000 African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops.

The Federal Government argued that the request for delay was informed by recent ‘several setbacks’ including Al-Shabaab’s attack in Osweyne, Galguduud region which reportedly claims ‘several soldiers.’

“We hold firm in our belief that this technical pause will, in the long run, contribute to the enduring peace, stability and prosperity of Somalia,” the letter from the National Security Advisor Hussein Sheikh Ali said adding Somalia ‘remained fully committed to the complete ATMIS drawdown by the end-of-2024 deadline.’

An additional 3,000 ATMIS soldiers are expected to leave Somalia at the end of this month in line with the UN Security Council resolution.

Dixon added that the U.S. alongside other international partners is committed to building the Somali National Army. ‘We want the SNA to be as good as they can be,” the US diplomat said noting the exercise is done in collaboration with other partners.