Somali President Calls For Amisom Reinforcement To Secure August Polls

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Somali President Calls For Amisom Reinforcement To Secure August Polls

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called for urgent deployment of enhanced combative force to crash the Al-Shabaab militant group to ensure the forthcoming elections are secured from any attacks.

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President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called for urgent deployment of enhanced combative force to crash the Al-Shabaab militant group to ensure the forthcoming elections are secured from any attacks.

The President said the threat of Al-Shabaab must be dealt with conclusively, noting that the delay to deploy enhanced capacity for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces was impeding the war against Al-Shabaab.

The President called for enhanced coordination between AMISOM and Somali National Security Institutions, for better execution of security operations.

The President spoke while receiving the new AMISOM force commander Lt. General Osman Noor Soubagleh in Mogadishu.

Gen Soubagle is taking over from outgoing force Commander Lt. General Jonathan Rono from Kenya.

Troops and police contributing countries in February called on the United Nations to expedite the finalization of Letters of Assist to allow the deployment of operational enablers and force multipliers including helicopters from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. AMISOM chief Francisco Madeira expressed confidence in the Force Commander’s ability to effectively lead security operations.

"General Soubagleh has worked with AMISOM before; he has extensive knowledge of the Somali culture, the language and more so, of his mandate here. He will use his experience to guide AMISOM operations, with the guidance and support of your government, towards peace and stability of the country,” noted Ambassador Madeira.

General Soubagleh is taking the reins of leading the AMISOM forces at a crucial time when Somalia is preparing for elections slated for August this year.