AU Confirms Exit of Burundian Troops from Somali Town Following Flooding

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has confirmed the exit of the Burundian Defence Forces from the strategic town of Xawaadley, northwest of Mogadishu, adding that they left the area following flooding.

The statement comes after the Al-Shabaab militants claimed to have captured Xawaadley village after clashing with Burundian troops, adding that they managed to run over the Forward Operating Base (FOB) within the country.

During the evacuation on Monday, the African Union said, one of the helicopters experienced a technical malfunction. However, despite this challenge, the pilots skilfully manoeuvred the aircraft to land safely.

"All troops and crew have been successfully evacuated to the nearest military base, and no casualties have been reported," read the statement. "AUSSOM commends the Burundian soldiers for their preparedness, which ensured a smooth and safe evacuation."

Without mentioning Al-Shabaab's possible ambush, Kareem Adebayo, the Acting Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia, commended the troops for their continued support for the federal government of Somalia.

‘’We commend the swift action of the AUSSOM Burundian troops during the delicate operation, and we reaffirm our continued support to the people and the Federal Government of Somalia in mitigating the effects of the flooding,’’ Kareem said.

This comes amid heightened Al-Shabaab attacks across the country, with the government of Somalia also accused of failing to tackle the rising insurgency. The government of Somalia is accused of immersing itself in political conflicts rather than handling the Al-Shabaab insurgency.

Somalia also risks defunding from the United States of America, which maintains that other partners must submit equal resources to sustain the peacekeeping mission. Al-Shabaab remains a threat to stability within the Horn of Africa nations.

GAROWE ONLINE