AMISOM hands over a forward operating base to the Somali Army

AMISOM hands over a forward operating base to the Somali Army

 On Wednesday, the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) handed over the Qorelo Forward Operating Base to the Somali Army as part of the second operation to withdraw African forces in Somalia.

The base is located in Hirshabelle State and since 2014 has been under the command of the Burundian Defense Forces of the African Union and has played a crucial role in the ongoing military operations against Al-Shabaab.

The handover documents symbolizing the transfer of security responsibility were signed by Lieutenant Harun Hassan, the new Somali Army Commander at the base, and Colonels Jean-Baptiste Nahishaki and Santosh Kuka of the Transition Planning Cell on behalf of Atmis and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia.

Nahishaki urged his colleagues in the Somali National Army to continue working closely with other security forces stationed in the area and in cooperation with the civilian population, and described the handover as a milestone in the peacebuilding process.

It should be noted that the second phase of the withdrawal resumed on Monday with the handover of the presidential and parliamentary headquarters. This process is consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2710 (2023), which requires the withdrawal of 3,000 soldiers from the Atmis forces by December 31, 2023.