MOGADISHU, Somalia – The United States government denied reports that it supported the presence of ATMIS forces, which are expected to leave Somalia by December 2024.
The United States has announced that it will continue to support Somalia’s forces in order to stabilize the country, while the African Union forces are gradually withdrawing from the country and taking over responsibility for national security.
Shane Dixon, the acting US ambassador to Somalia, said that the US government will do its best to help the Somali government build a powerful Al-Shabaab army that can fill the areas vacated by ATMIS.
Speaking about the war against Al-Shabaab, which is in the final stages of the first phase, Dixon reiterated that his US government is standing by the country’s armed forces, supporting air operations.
The statement of the United States comes at a time when, on the 19th of this month, the Somali government submitted a request to the UN Security Council to delay the departure of the ATMIS force for 3 months, which was said to have been rejected by the African Union.
