News
AU ministers agree to 'take on' Al Shabaab
Uganda Amisom soldiers holding their position in Mogadishu..File Photo
Posted Monday, July 26 2010 at 00:00
Kenya, which is being accused of playing a “softer role” despite having consistently suffered incursions by Al Shabaab, is demanding that Africa should instead mobilise troops from the East African Standby Brigade, (EASBRIG) and supplement the current Amisom strength to raise the temporarily required 20,000 troops for the operation.
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On the contrary, the AU bid to strengthen the AMISOM mandate was thwarted by pressure from the UN.The AU did authorize an additional 4,000 peacekeepers for Somalia at the summit but left AMISOM’s mandate intact. More notable than troop numbers is the failure to get AMISOM’s mandate amended so that it would have the legal right to engage in offensive maneuvers against al Shabaab. Not only did the United Nations oppose the idea, but several African countries were against it as well.
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