The African Union envoy to Somalia has assured Somalis that the withdrawal of troops from the country will not lead to a security crisis.
The African Union Special Envoy for Somalia, Mohamed El-Amine Souef, has said that the African Union will not leave Somalia even as the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) prepares to withdraw 4,000 additional troops by the end of June. .
“Even as ATMIS forces continue to shrink, we will ensure that there is no insecurity,” Souef said after a two-day visit to Jowhar.
He said that the transition will work well with the member states of the federation (FMS), the government of Somalia, and international friends.
During his visit, Souef praised the Burundian forces for their efforts in preventing and reducing Al-Shabaab, urging them to be vigilant and work closely with the Somali security forces and the local community.
This visit is part of the African Union envoy’s visit to the regional governments to assess the operational readiness, care and morale of the troops as the African Union prepares a follow-up operation after the departure of ATMIS.
According to the United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2710 (2023), ATMIS is mandated to withdraw 4,000 soldiers in the third phase of the withdrawal of troops and replace them with the Somali security forces.
