The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has said that flushing out the terrorist group al-Shabab and improving the capability of the Somali Security Forces (SSF) will be its top priorities in 2024.

ATMIS Force Commander Sam Okiding and ATMIS Police Commissioner Hillary Sao Kanu delivered respectively end-of-year messages, in which they said on Sunday that the security operations will be intensified across the country.

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“Our primary task next year will be the degradation of al-Shabab. Al-Shabab must be defeated so that the people of Somalia can live in peace and harmony,” Okiding said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

He added that a conference bringing together all ATMIS sector commanders will be held in Mogadishu to refine the current Concept of Operations to effectively counter al-Shabab’s asymmetrical warfare, Xinhua news agency reported.

Okiding pointed to the completion of 236 military operations in 2023, with 41 per cent conducted jointly with the Somali security forces.

He said the operations were instrumental in securing population centres, safeguarding main supply routes, liberating key towns and villages, and facilitating the distribution of humanitarian aid to distressed communities.

“It is important to note that ATMIS also collaborated with SSF in driving out al-Shabab in areas like Jubaland, Galmudug, Middle Shabelle, and Lower Shabelle,” Okiding added.

On her part, Kanu said the police component would focus on imparting specialist skills to the Somali Police Force (SPF) and enhancing community-based initiatives.

“In the new year, we are going to streamline our training on community policing, investigative skills, combating financial crimes, money laundering, trafficking, and public order management,” she added.

Kanu noted that community policing had proven to be successful in fostering cooperation between security forces and residents, strengthening the fight against al-Shabab.

“Community policing has strengthened cooperation between security forces and the residents. This is important because we need the total cooperation of community members in the fight against al-Shabab,” Kanu said.

Okiding underpinned the successful conclusion of the first phase of ATMIS troops drawdown in June and the consolidation of gains made under the African Union Mission in Somalia, the precursor to ATMIS, as one of the major achievements.

“Throughout the year our focus has been the transfer of security responsibilities to the Federal Government of Somalia and we successfully concluded phase one of ATMIS troops drawdown,” he said.