ATMIS Drawdown -7 Military Bases Transferred To The Government of Somalia; Two Others Closed

MOGADISHU, Somalia February 2, 2024 – The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), has completed Phase Two drawdown, which involved reducing the troop count by 3000 soldiers.

ATMIS, with logistical support from the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), transferred seven Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and closed two others.

Both the two FOBs closed -Sarille and Old Kismayo Airport -were from ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Sector Six and Two, respectively.

The FOBs transferred include State House and Parliament from ATMIS Uganda People’s Defence Forces in Sector One; Bio Cadale, Raga Ceel, and Qorillow from ATMIS Burundi National Defence Forces in Sector Five; Burahache from ATMIS KDF in Sector Two; and Old Airport from ATMIS Ethiopia National Defence Forces in Sector Six.

ATMIS handed over the military bases as part of Phase II of the drawdown of ATMIS forces in the country as per United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2710.