Somali troops take over security of Presidential and Parliament Houses from AU troops

Somali troops take over security of Presidential and Parliament Houses from AU troops

Source: Hiiraan Online, Sunday December 17, 2023

Mogadishu (HOL) – The Somali National Army officially assumed security responsibility for the State House and the Parliament House from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops in a ceremony held in Mogadishu on Sunday.

The Commander of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyiddin, the Director General of the Presidency, the Abdihakim Mohamed Yusuf, and representatives from the African Union and the United Nations attended the handover ceremony at the presidential palace.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud congratulated the 77th Brigade of the National Army for taking over the security responsibility of the country’s leadership.

The transition aligns with a recent United Nations Security Council Resolution authorizing a phased withdrawal of ATMIS forces, set to be completed by the end of 2024. ATMIS, which replaced the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) in March 2022, has been instrumental in supporting the Somali government against threats, including Islamist militias.

Villa Somalia, the presidential complex in Mogadishu, housing the offices of the President, Prime Minister, and Parliament, has been under the protection of the African Union forces since 2007. At its peak, the ATMIS mission included around 20,000 troops. Its ongoing reduction and transfer of bases to Somali forces reflect the growing international confidence in Somalia’s capability to manage its security affairs.