Ethiopian military officers who are not part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) were deployed to Hiiraan to help their ATMIS colleagues in handing over a forward operating base (FOB) in Mahas.
The deployment of heavily armed Ethiopian troops to the Hiiraan region in central Somalia marks a significant step in the ongoing transition process under ATMIS.
The Ethiopian contingent’s escorting of troops to hand over the Mahas FOB to the Somali National Army (SNA) is part of the third phase of the ATMIS troop drawdown.
This phase aims to gradually reduce the presence of foreign troops and enhance the capacity of Somali forces to take over security responsibilities in the region.
Local journalists and officials on the ground have reported this development, indicating ongoing efforts to stabilize and secure the area.
The heavily armed non-ATMIS Ethiopian troops escorted their ATMIS colleagues on Tuesday.
However, their presence in the region caused plenty of concerns considering the diplomatic tension currently in play between Ethiopia and Somalia. The latter has repeatedly said that Ethiopian forces would not be part of the multinational force that would take over from ATMIS once the latter’s mandate ends on December 31, 2024.