Somalia: ATMIS to resume Troop Drawdown Amidst Security Transition

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has recommenced the second phase of troop withdrawal, marking the second such move in six months. The withdrawal was temporarily halted in response to a “technical pause” requested by the Somali federal government, only to resume following extensive discussions.

The drawdown involves the transfer of control over eight forward operating bases (FOBs) to the Somali Security Forces (SSF).

Aligned with a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution, three thousand troops are set to exit Somalia, building upon the initial withdrawal of two thousand during the first phase, which saw seven FOBs handed over to SSF.

Measures have been carefully put in place after discussions between ATMIS, the Somali government, and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) to ensure the troop drawdown adheres to guidelines set by the UNSC and the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).

“I assure you we are ready to continue supporting the transition and the drawdown to fulfill the mandate while we continue to provide logistic support for ongoing operations,” stated Dr. Aisa Kacyira, Head of UNSOS, during the second drawdown announcement.

Meanwhile, Somali government National Security Advisor Hussein Sheikh Ali confirmed that the “security transition process is progressing as planned,” with the government expected to assume “security responsibility for the country” by December 2024.