AU to deploy 3000 more troops in Somalia
1. Posted on Monday 26 September 2011 - 10:36
<
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_message/35760#m35760>
Yarrow Hassan, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
The African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) is planning to beef up its
troops to the Horn of African with 3,000 more before December this year, a
senior AU official told AfricaNews. The Deputy Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSCRCC) for Somalia Wafula
Wamunyinyi said the additional soldiers will help implement the current
roadmap that seeks to put the entire nation under effective control of the
Transitional Federal Government.
'The additional troops will come from other African nations including Sierra
Leone and Djibouti in order to boost the capability of the 9,000 AMISOM
troops currently present,' Wamunyinyi said
He said Djibouti is set to contribute a battalion of troops as well as
trainers while Sierra Leone will only supply a battalion, he added.
Already 95 percent of the Somalia's capital Mogadishu is under the control
of AU troops and they will help extend the strength of the armed forces, he
added.
'We plan to extend our control to the environs of the Mogadishu and
eventually to entire country including all the strongholds of extremist's
forces,' Wamunyinyi who is also head of AMISOM troops in Somalia said.
The African Union is committed to bring stability to the war- torn Somalia
which has been in the state of lawlessness for the past 20 years.
'Our personnel are regularly attacked by anti-government forces and this new
addition will help buffer our forces currently acting as a stabilization
force in the country,' he added.
AMISOM troops are also helping to train local Somalia army to gradually take
over the security of their county.
In a separate interview with AfricaNews Rwanda ambassador to Kenya Mr George
Kayonga said Rwanda is committed to provide technical support to the AMISOM
forces as they try to secure in Somalia.
'The additional forces will be used to fill the vacuum caused by the lack of
the effective government in the country,' Kayonga said.
The forces which were deployed in 2007 are bringing hope to the horn of
African nation, the ambassador added.
Currently in Mogadishu the AU forces are mandated to provide escort and
protection to humanitarian agencies that are providing relief food to combat
the current famine.
------------[ Sent via the dehai-wn mailing list by dehai.org]--------------
Received on Tue Sep 27 2011 - 07:24:18 EDT