As part of its commitments to the ATMIS, Kenya is preparing to send additional troops to Somalia.
According to the Kenyan military, soldiers training for deployment to Somalia have been doing so since August.
According to William Kamoiro, the commander of the brigade, the rigorous training is necessary to deal with combat-hardened al Shabaab militants.
“We are undergoing a very rigorous training programme right now to be able to handle the circumstances in Somalia. We have a great attitude and are open to the training. We keep practising the integration of different capabilities and running simulation exercises, which are both necessary to verify the training objectives. It serves as a gauge of our readiness for mission.
The team is the second contingent from Kenya to work in Somalia in accordance with the ATMMIS mandate.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia was established earlier this year after the UN approved a rehatting off of the AMISOM mandate (ATMIS). Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti are among the troop-contributing nations (TCNs) stationed throughout south-central Somalia.
Up until December 31, 2022, the military component will have 18 586 soldiers; after that, that number will be lowered by 2000. With a final exit in December 2024, there will be additional graduated drawdowns in September 2023 and June 2024.
Regular joint technical assessments will serve as a guide for the drawdowns, which will also take into account Somalia’s current security situation.