Somalia

The Council today prolonged the mandates of its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operation in the Horn of Africa and Somalia. The mandate of EUCAP Somalia, the EU's civilian capacity-building mission, EUTM Somalia, the EU's military training mission, and EU Naval Force Operation ATALANTA, one of the EU’s executive military maritime operations, will now run until 31 December 2024.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Somali army troops and a local militia dubbed the Community Defense Forces took the town of Adan Yabal from al-Shabab without a fight. The town, in the Middle Shabelle region, had been a base for the Islamist group since 2016.

Despite relentless al-Shabab attacks, Somali defense officials say the country is making progress in building a viable security force capable of not only protecting state institutions but also expanding governmental authority.

The African Union says it will delay withdrawal of its sanctioned military forces in Somalia, citing resurgence of Al-Shabaab attacks. The decision was reached on Wednesday by the African Union Peace and Security Council, the 15-member body that decides policy and programmes on security across the continent, following a request from Somalia.

[…] Al-Shabaab remains a strong regional actor and has proved itself to be a resilient force. It has so far defeated all attempts (both internal and external) at eradicating it on the battlefield. This includes the deployment of Somali, western and African Union troops.

The United Nations Security Council voted Thursday to maintain an arms embargo on Somalia over strong objections from its government, saying the al-Shabab “terrorist group” still seriously threatens peace and stability in the region and sanctions are needed to degrade its activities.

A steep rise in civilian casualties across Somalia, largely at the hands of Al-Shabaab militants, has exacerbated an already grim human rights and humanitarian situation there, said the UN human rights chief on Monday.

Somalia's military says it has liberated more territory from al-Shabab, including a strategic town that had been under the group’s control for 15 years.

U.N. experts say the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab has widened its revenue stream beyond its traditional activities, like charging tolls at checkpoints, to illegally taxing properties and construction.

A suicide bomber struck a military training camp in Somalia on Saturday, causing casualties, a military official said, in an attack claimed by the Al-Shabaab jihadist group one week after twin blasts left 116 dead.