Somalia

The tactic gives local community fighters the lead role in the fight against al-Shabab with federal government forces playing a supportive role, said two senior government officials who did not want to be identified. … [T]he federal government will register the local fighters and pay monthly stipends as an incentive for their participation, with a view to integrating them into the army in the longer term.

Tight deadlines mean assessment of the ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) first troop drawdown phase is running concurrently with planning for the second to bring mission strength down to 14 600. … The next drawdown will see three thousand troops exit the mission by 30 September.

According to the government, the ban on TikTok, Telegram and 1XBet comes in response to growing concerns over their potential negative effects on the younger generation. 

Military chiefs of troop contributing countries for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) say they are on course to continue their gradual withdrawal of forces, signalling a handover of security duties to Mogadishu as planned.

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has condemned a terrorist attack on a military academy in the capital, Mogadishu, which killed at least 25 soldiers on Monday.

The Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution extending by six months until December the mandate for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), in support of the Government’s preparation for phase two and the Mission’s troop drawdown.

Ahead of this month-end (June) reduction of two thousand troops serving under the ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) a second forward operating (FOB) was handed to the Somali National Army (SNA).

Despite gains made in tackling terrorism and advancing the electoral process in Somalia, top UN officials warned the Security Council on Thursday that extra effort and funding are needed to address multiple threats, from climate shocks to spates of violence amid a looming food crisis.

Despite gains made in tackling terrorism and advancing the electoral process in Somalia, top UN officials warned the Security Council on Thursday that extra effort and funding are needed to address multiple threats, from climate shocks to spates of violence amid a looming food crisis.

[…] "The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) has started to drawdown in compliance with (UN Resolutions) which mandate Atmis to drawdown 2,000 soldiers by the end of June 2023," it said in a statement.