AU hands over 6 military bases to Somali forces
The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has officially handed over the Kuday military base to the Somali security forces, marking an important step in the third phase of the withdrawal of foreign troops.
The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has officially handed over the Kuday military base to the Somali security forces, marking an important step in the third phase of the withdrawal of foreign troops.
ATMIS said yesterday on Thursday that the Kuday camp, which is located in the Lower Juba region of southern Somalia, has been managed by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) since 2015 and has played an important role in protecting the port city of Kismayo as a strategic location. .
The Military Chief of ATMIS, Engineer Suleiman Ibrahim said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia that, "This handover demonstrates the capacity of the Somali government and the willingness to continue to take on security responsibilities, supported by ATMIS."
ATMIS has so far handed over six military bases to Somalia's security forces and reduced the number of troops by 2,000, as part of the third phase of withdrawal approved by the UN and the AU.
The Somali army, supported by militants from various parts of the country and their international partners, has been conducting various operations and surprise attacks against al Shabaab since 2022.
Somalia has experienced chaos and lack of peace for several years now, with the main threats being the al Shabaab and Daesh (ISIS) groups.
