Hiiraan Online
Tuesday May 3, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) - The African Union said its troops fighting the Al-Qaeda linked militants would remain in Somalia until peace is restored, dismissing reports of a possible force replacement by a UN force.
The development comes one day after the UK prime minister David Cameron announced that dozens of British troops were to be sent to Somalia to help peacekeeping efforts to counter Islamist rebels.
“Our aim is simple: to help stabilise Somalia so it can independently govern itself. The people of Somalia deserve the freedom to go about their daily lives,” said Fransisco Madeira, the head of AMISOM and AU special representative to Somalia in an interview with Kenya’s Star newspaper.
“More so, once we are done with our mission here and leave, Somalia will be in a position to take up its full responsibilities including its role as a full fringed member of the African Union and the international community.” He said.
Having deployed in Mogadishu in 2007 with an initial six-month mandate, the 22000-strong force have since been receiving subsequent six months annual mandates by the United Nations Security Council to defeat Al Shabab militants who are fighting Somali government and African Union force.
Meanwhile, the planned deployment of the advance UN troops have heightened the speculation of a possible mission transfer by the African Union forces that lost thousands of soldiers during the nine years mission in the horn of Africa nation.
However, the mission has been criticized for employing a ‘slothful’ military strategy which many believe contributed to the resurgence of one ‘dying’ militant group which carried out numerous major attacks including three complex attacks on AU military bases in Somalia last year.