Somalia: AU "impressed" with SNA's progress in Al-Shabaab war

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The African Union has expressed optimism in the strategy used by the Somali National Army [SNA] to flush out the Al-Shabaab militants, following a series of successes in the past week across the country that led to the recovery of strategic towns the see crucial in the liberation process.

Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, the head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], said he was delighted with the progress that has been made so far, noting that in the near future, that militants will be completely wiped out from the federal republic of Somalia.

This week alone, the Somali National Army [SNA] with the aid of local militia, the African Union Transition Mission, and the US Africa Command has managed to recover El-Dheer, Harardheere, Galcad, and Hiindheere towns in the Galgadud regions of Galmudug State in central parts of the country.

“ATMIS will continue to provide the needed support to ensure Somalia is free of terrorism and related activities,” said Ambassador Souef, who took over from Francisco Madeira, a Mozambique national who is linked to malpractices and interference of the normal operations of the country.

“Al-Shabaab has lost ground and together with our Somali brothers we will continue to rid these Khawarij terrorists from Somalia to give the population security, stability, and peace which are important to economic and social development,” the SRCC emphasized.

ATMIS is helping the Somali army to strategize and take security responsibilities in the coming months after the reconfiguration of the peacekeeping force whose numbers will be trimmed in the coming weeks. There are close to 22, 000 African Union Transition Mission forces in the Horn of Africa nation.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently hinted that the national army would take over Galmadug and HirShabelle states in the coming weeks, noting the milestone made in the fight against Al-Shabaab in the last eight months. Al-Shabaab has a huge presence in central and southern Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE