Delayed Atmis withdrawal signals gaps in Somalia rebuilding
Somali soldiers take cover during an attack by Al-Shabaab militants on the parliament in Mogadishu on May 24, 2022. The African Union had said it will delay withdrawal of its sanctioned military forces in Somalia which was set to start in December 2022. PHOTO | AFP
The decision to delay the drawdown of the African Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) may indicate gaps in rebuilding the country’s security forces meant to take over once the continental arrangement fully exits next year.
This week, the African Union (AU) said it will delay withdrawal of its sanctioned military forces in Somalia, citing resurgence of Al-Shabaab attacks. But while it did not discuss the gaps in Somalia’s rebuilding, the longer stay of troops under Atmis may signal inability of Somalia to battle the militants alone, something troop contributors had indicated in their arguments before the exit plan was first announced in February.
