African Union extends Mandate in Somalia

The African Union on Monday extended by seven months the mandate of its force (AMISOM) in Somalia which is struggling to contain violence in Somalia, its senior official said.

"We have decided to renew AMISOM's mandate for seven months starting June 17, 2009," said Chad's ambassador Sharif Mahamat Zene, who is the current chair of the rotating presidency of the AU Peace and Security Council. Since AMISOM is not a real peacekeeping force but merely there to protect the TFG, he said the council had also asked the AU commission to review AMISOM's rules of engagement "to better protect its equipment, facilities, personnel and provide more effective backing to the Somali transitional government (TFG)."

Deployed in March 2007, AMISOM counts more than 4,300 Ugandan and Burundian soldiers and is currently charged with protecting strategic sites in the seaside capital such as the presidency, the port and the airport. But it is not allowed to fight alongside government forces and is authorised to retaliate only in case of a direct attack.

On May 26, the UN Security Council authorised the extension of the AU operation until January 31, pledging 72 million dollars (52 million euros) in immediate logistical backing. Only half of the originally planned strength of 8,000 peacekeepers is deployed in the capital. Zene said that Malawi and Sierra Leone have promised to send a battalion each to reinforce AMISOM. Somali insurgents launched a fresh offensive against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on May 7 sparking clashes that have left more than 250 dead and 120,000 displaced.

Source:Ecoterra, June 17, 2009

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