The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) says preparations for the drawdown of 2000 soldiers by 30 June 2023 are at an advanced stage.
The drawdown is in compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2628 and 2670 which mandates ATMIS to draw down 2000 soldiers by the end of June and hand over security in agreed areas to the Somali Security Forces (SSF).
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) and Head of ATMIS, Ambassador Mohammed El-Amine Souef, says a joint technical committee with members drawn from appropriate stakeholders including the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and ATMIS have identified, and agreed on, Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to be handed over from ATMIS to SSF or to be collapsed.
Source: Somali National News Agency