08 August 2024
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), deployed as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), today handed over a military camp in Mahas, Hiran region, to the Somali National Army (SNA).
This marks the sixth base transfer in the third phase of AMISOM’s gradual troop withdrawal. The Ethiopian contingent has maintained a presence in Mahas for the past 13 years.
The Somali government has assumed responsibility for security in the area and pledged to combat the militant group Al-Shabaab.
Meanwhile, the African Union Peace and Security Council has appointed a new envoy to replace the current AMISOM chief in January 2025.
The mission will be renamed the African Union Support and Reassurance Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). The new force will comprise 11,900 personnel, including soldiers, police, and civilians.
The withdrawal of Ethiopian troops is part of the third phase of AMISOM’s drawdown, with an additional 2,000 troops expected to leave by the end of September.
AMISOM was established in 2007 with troops from Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, and Djibouti.
