AU Troops Relocate Base As Part of Realignment

By Ghana News Agency 

Jun 22, 2021

AMISOM

The Ugandan contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has relocated from Marianguwaay military base in the southern region as part of troop realignment to enhance security to the main supply routes (MSRs) and the general area, the AU mission said Monday.

AMISOM Uganda contingent commander Don Nabasa said the relocation is part of a harmonized joint operations plan laid out in April by AMISOM and the Somali National Army (SNA) to enable Somali security forces to assume security responsibilities ahead of AMISOM’s exit.

AMISOM set up the Marianguwaay Forward Operating Base (FOB) in October 2014 to ease the movement of troops between the port cities of Marka and Barawe. According to the AU mission, following the relocation, the FOB is now closed and the land ownership has reverted to the government.

Nabasa said the recently concluded sector commanders conference harmonized several tasks for execution by Sector I, which included the relocation of troops from Marianguwaay military base to another area to beef up security thus enhancing operational efficiency.

Ahead of the relocation, AMISOM troops conducted a cleanup that involved removing structures and leveling the ground to restore the environment in line with AMISOM’s environmental standard operating procedures. The Governor of Lower Shabelle, Abdikadir Murshid Sidi, noted that AMISOM joint operations with SNA had weakened the insurgents in the region, making it necessary for Somali Security Forces to take over security responsibilities.

Since 2014, AMISOM troops have jointly operated in the general area of Marianguwaay, significantly improving the security situation of the area before the need to take up security responsibilities elsewhere in line with the ongoing AMISOM and SNA reconfiguration plan and the revised Concept of Operations 2018-2021.

AMISOM and the Somali security forces readjust and reorganize troop deployments to revitalize strategies that have enabled the recovery, consolidation, expansion and control of areas of South-central Somalia by the Federal Government of Somalia.