MOGADISHU, Somalia – AU forces resumed Phase Two of the troop drawdown, officially handing over the State House and Parliament House Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Mogadishu to the Somali Security Forces (SSF).
The handover ceremony, attended by ATMIS Head and UN envoy Catriona Laing, UNSOS OiC Qurat-ul-Ain Sodazai, and senior FGS officials led by the National Security Advisor Hussein Moalim, signifies a major achievement in the ongoing #SomaliaSecurityTransition.
The two facilities, which had been under the command of ATMIS UPDF troops since 2007, responsible for securing the presidential palace and parliament, symbolize the Federal Government’s (FGS) commitment and preparedness to assume full security responsibilities for Somalia.
The Sector 1 Commander signed the handover documents on behalf of ATMIS, with Qurat-ul-Ain Sodazai (UNSOS) and Hussein Moalim, (FGS) also representing their respective entities.
The drawdown is in line with UNSC Resolution 2710, which mandates the withdrawal of 3000 ATMIS troops by 31 December 2023.
