Somalia, plagued by ongoing violence, is requesting a three-month postponement of the scheduled reduction of African Union troops due to “several significant setbacks” in its efforts against Al-Shabaab militants, as indicated in a government letter obtained by media.
Somalia’s national security advisor has penned a letter to the United Nations formally seeking a 90-day extension for the second phase of troop withdrawal, which entails the departure of 3,000 troops by the end of September, as mentioned in the letter.
“The Federal Government of Somalia formally requests a technical pause in the drawdown of the 3,000 African Union Transition in Somalia (ATMIS) uniformed personnel by three months,” it said.
A diplomatic source has verified the legitimacy of the letter, and an additional source with knowledge of the matter has likewise informed media of the request being submitted.
UN resolutions mandate that the ATMIS force be completely diminished by the conclusion of the following year, entrusting full security responsibilities to the national army and police in the tumultuous Horn of Africa nation.
