The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Commander, Lt Gen.

Diomede Ndegeya, has said operations to degrade Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia had resulted in the militants losing ground against AMISOM and the Somali security forces. The Force commander said this yesterday, at the end of his visit to frontline troops.

The Ethiopia National Defence Forces (ENDF) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) jointly support the Somali National Army to undertake security operations against Al-Shabaab in Kismayo and surrounding areas. “The objective of the visit was to see for myself the situation in AMISOM’s area of responsibility and assess the progress made in implementing the AMISOM mandate in line with the Somalia Transition Plan and the harmonized operation plan.

Secondly, I came to assess the level of security preparedness ahead of the upcoming electoral process.” During his visit, Lt.

Gen.

Ndegeya and his delegation that included the Deputy Force Commander in charge of Support and Logistics, Maj.

Gen Gerbi Kebede Regassa, met with the AMISOM commander in Kismayo, Brig.

Gen.

Abebaw Seid Yimer and Brig.

Gen.

Jeff Nyagah, the commander of AMISOM troops based in Dhobley. The Force Commander was also accompanied by the AMISOM Police Operations and Formed Police Unit Coordinator, who is also the Acting AMISOM Police Commissioner, Daniel Ali Gwambal, the AMISOM Police Elections and Security Advisor, Anthony Placid, and the AMISOM Police coordinating officer in Kismayo, Stephen Yeje.  AMISOM Police is a member National Election Security Taskforce, which is led by the Somali Police Force and responsible for securing the upcoming electoral process in Somalia. The AMISOM military commanders appraised Lt.

Gen Ndegeya on the status of ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab by AMISOM and the Somali security forces as well as civil-military cooperation activities in liberated areas. The AMISOM Sector 2 commander, Brig Gen.

Nyagah, said that they had briefed Lt.

Gen.

Ndegeya on the security situation and progress made to implement the Somalia Transition Plan ahead of the envisaged transfer of security responsibility to Somali security forces. “We have appraised the Force Commander on the overall security situation in our respective areas of operation.

Most importantly, we assessed progress made around the Somali Transition Plan, where AMISOM is supposed to gradually hand over security responsibilities to the Somali security forces.

We also discussed the role of AMISOM in the forthcoming elections, which are critical to the stability of Somalia,” added Brig.

Nyagah. The Force Commander paid a courtesy visit to the Jubaland State’s Minister of Security, Gen.

Yussuf Hussein Dhumaal, who hailed the cooperation and support of AMISOM forces as important to success in defeating Al Shabaab. “Our discussions focused on operations against the Al-Shabaab with a view to liberate the areas still under their control, especially the Middle Jubba region and surrounding towns.

We agreed to speed up operations and collaborate at all levels,” said Gen.

Dhumaal..