MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – African Union (AU) has called on Djiboutian and Ethiopian forces to adhere to set timelines in executing tasks under the Concept of Operations (CONOPs).
Deputy Force Commander in charge of Operations and Plans at the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Maj. Gen. Lakara who visited Beletweyne on Monday has held a meeting with the commanders of the troops over security situation and progress made in implementing the CONOPs.
“We have had a lengthy discussion to look at what needs to be done, and what needs to be provided, in order to enable the forces to accomplish the assigned tasks,” Gen. Lakara stated.
At the meeting, Gen. Lakara reminded the military commanders, led by the Sector 4 Commander, Col. Mohamed Ibrahim Moussa; his deputy, Col. Teklebirhan Hailu (Ethiopia) and the Djibouti Contingent Commander, Col. Abdirahman Rayale Hared of the need to adhere to the timelines in accomplishing tasks assigned to them.
The CONOPs outlines the activities AMISOM has to implement under the Somali Transition Plan up to 2021, when AMISOM is expected to exit and hand over security responsibility of the country to Somali Security Forces.
The Deputy Force Commander noted that while the Somali National Army (SNA) is building up its forces, AMISOM should forge ahead with discharging its mandate.
“The SNA needs to be supported first of all to generate forces and this has been the focus, in line with the Transition Plan, that AMISOM must handover to a capable force, able to defend the country when AMISOM exists,” Gen. Lakara noted.
Gen. Lakara’s visit to Beletweyne, about 340km from Mogadishu comes just days after a similar visit to Jowhar, the headquarters of AMISOM Sector 5, under the control of Burundi forces, and a Forward Operating Base in Gololey, still under Sector 5.
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