Jowhar, 21 June 2024 – The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on Thursday transferred control of the Jowhar Town Forward Operating Base (FOB) to the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF). It is the second FOB to be handed over in Phase Three of the troop drawdown.
Situated in the strategic Middle Shabelle region, the Jowhar Town FOB has been under the command of the Burundi National Defence Forces (BNDF) since 2014. The FOB, which includes Horseed, Parliament, and State House military bases, serves as a security buffer for safeguarding the Hirshabelle State Presidential Palace, Parliament, and the local community.
The facility is also key to securing the Mogadishu-Jowhar Main Supply Route (MSR), providing VIP security escorts, and assisting humanitarian organisations in the region.
Speaking at the handover, the ATMIS Sector Five Commander, Col. Oscar Hatugimana said, “This handover demonstrates progress and Somalia’s commitment to rebuilding their country. We count on you to protect the population, maintain peace and security in areas under your control, and safeguard the hard-won gains.”
“We have full confidence in our Somali counterparts. We have seen them successfully attack, seize, and hold ground. This sends a clear message to terrorist groups that their days are numbered. A professionally trained and well-equipped SNAF is indeed a game-changer in combating terrorism in Somalia,” he added.
Col. Suleiman Ibrahim, representing ATMIS’s Deputy Force Commander in Charge of Support and Logistics, said, “This is a significant event as it demonstrates the determination and capacity of SNAF to assume security responsibilities while ATMIS provides support.”
The Chief of UNSOS Transition Planning Cell, Patrick Duah, underscored UNSOS’s critical role in fostering the transition process by building capacity and providing logistical support to SNAF and ATMIS.
“UNSOS has trained about 30 SNAF technicians to operate and maintain the equipment that we are handing over today. The UN-owned equipment we are donating includes generators, storage tanks, water treatment plants, freezers, boreholes, and solar panels,” said Patrick Duah.
The SNAF Commander in the Middle Shabelle region, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf Nuur, commended ATMIS for their effective role in degrading Al-Shabaab and reaffirmed SNAF’s commitment to achieving regional stability.
“I am certain that the Somali National Armed Forces taking over will discharge their responsibilities successfully. There will be no gaps. SNAF will assume the mantle of securing the region,” said Brig. Gen. Nuur.
The State Minister of Finance, who represented the Hirshabelle State President, Abdirahman Ciise Dadow, affirmed the commitment of the federal member state to supporting the SNAF in securing the region.
The drawdown is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2628 (2022), 2710 (2023), and 2719 (2023), which mandate ATMIS to transfer security responsibilities to the Federal Government of Somalia, as outlined in the Joint Concept of Operations (CONOPs) and the Somalia Transition Plan.
