Troop contributors for the African Union Transition Mission to Somalia (Atmis) have backed Mogadishu’s request to delay a drawdown programme by three months, indicating there could be security lapses in the war on terror.
The move by Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda and Burundi now means the 3,000 soldiers who were to leave Somalia by September 29 may stay longer or replaced by an equal number to ensure there are no security gaps in areas the forces leave. But that will depend on funding availability.
