AMISOM to stay in Somalia till December - AU

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AMISOM to stay in Somalia till December - AU

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - The African Union mission in Somalia will remain in the horn of the African country until the end of December this year, AU said Tuesday.

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MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - The African Union mission in Somalia will remain in the horn of the African country until the end of December this year, AU said Tuesday.

The African Union said in a statement that the 15-member AU Peace and Security Council approved the extension to end security uncertainties as the country is expected to hold parliamentary and presidential elections.

The confirmation came after meetings between the members of AU Peace and Security Council, which included Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt and Nigeria. Others are Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Senegal.

"At today's AUPSC, the Council has reached a consensus to extend Amisom's mandate until December 31, 2021," the Council said.

Amisom, which has been in Somalia since 2007, was created by the AU to stabilize Somalia's newly emerging interim federal government.

Since then, the mission’s term has been extended almost every year due to security challenges created by the militant group Al Shabaab.

AU troops have helped Somali forces recapture many towns including capital following fierce fighting.

Al-Shabaab controls remote areas in central and southern Somalia but the group is still capable conducting terror attacks including explosion and raids on military bases on the outskirts of Mogadishu.

Last Sunday, Al-Shabaab suicide bomber blew himself at a police station in Waber district of Mogadishu, killing six people including Waberi police commissioner.