The African Union peacekeeping forces in Somalia (ATMIS) have left Jowhar district, the capital of the Middle Shabelle region and the administrative capital of Hirshabelle.
The officers of the ATMIS mission have handed over the bases of the ATMIS forces in the city of Jowhar to the Armed Forces, as part of the 3rd phase of the withdrawal of the foreign forces.
Burundi’s ATMIS forces had three bases in Jowhar. The ATMIS operation is planning to withdraw 4,000 soldiers from Somalia by the end of June, which is an agreed schedule.
The head of the ATMIS Military Division, Lieutenant Colonel Suleiman Ibrahim has assured the Somali people that there will be no security vacuum during the reduction of forces. He praised the efforts and sacrifices of the Somali Security Forces and the Burundian ATMIS forces that have been deployed to stabilize the security of the region.
The departure of the troops has come, as the government of Somalia has sent a request to the African Union to delay the departure of the ATMIS troops. The government has shown a security threat in Somalia.
The Somali government wants only 2,000 soldiers to be removed from the country in June, while another 2,000 will be removed in September this year.