The United Nations Security Council has suspended for a period of three months the pullout of African Union troops from Somalia.
The decision follows a request by the Horn of Africa nation for the forces to remain in the country to help in the fight against al-Shabab group.
Somalia’s request was supported by the African Union, all countries that contribute soldiers to the force and the council, which agreed to delay the pullout of the 19,000-strong AU force for 90 days.
Last year in April, the council unanimously approved a new African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, to support the Somalis until their forces take full responsibility for the country’s security at the end of 2024.
Total war
ATMIS replaced the African Union Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM, which has been in the Horn of Africa nation for 15 years helping peacebuilding in Somalia.
However, the new force was to be withdrawn in phases, starting last June, when 2,000 soldiers left Somalia and handed over six forward operating bases to federal security forces.
The second part of the pullout began in September in line with the U.N. resolution which anticipates the withdrawal to be completed by December 2024.
Somalia’s government last year launched a “total war” on al-Shabab which controls parts of rural central and southern Somalia.
