Somalia’s Jubaland State first Vice President Mohamud Siyad Adan has on Saturday inspected the Madhamaato Forward Operating Base which was recently left by Ethiopian soldiers serving under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in the ongoing troops drawdown.
During his visit, Adan received briefing and updates from Somali security forces manning the base.
The officers debriefed the Deputy President who is also the acting President about the status of the base and how to maintain it after the withdrawal of the Ethiopian troops.
Somali National Army 43rd Division under the command of General Mohamed Mohamud received the base from the outgoing Ethiopian troops on Friday in a ceremony attended by Yussuf Dhumaal, the regional security minister.
The last batch of ATMIS troops are expected to leave Somalia by the end of this year 2024 in line with the United Nations Security Council resolution mandating the withdrawal of the peace keepers troops from Somalia.
At ,5, 000 troops have left Somalia in the year 2023 with the hand over of 8 forward operating bases including the Presidential Palace, Villa Somalia, in the capital Mogadishu housing the residence of the President and the office of the Prime Minister.
The troops also relinquished Security responsibilities of the Parliament which is located within the Presidential Palace.
Somalia government is fighting with Al-Shabab militant group who have been causing destability since 2007 in the Horn of Africa Nation.
Despite facing huge military setback in central and southern Somalia, the group still poses threat to the Somali people and often executes bomb attacks across the Nation including in the capital Mogadishu.
