The African Union is preparing to intensify its military campaign against Somalia's al-Qaida inspired al-Shabab militants. The United Nations Security Council is being asked to upgrade the size and the firepower of the AU mission in Somalia, AMISOM.
Defense chiefs from five East African countries Wednesday endorsed a plan to boost the authorized strength of the AMISOM force from 12,000 to 17,700 troops. The African Union Peace and Security is expected to approve the strategy Thursday and send it on to the U.N. Security Council for action next week. ...
"We have been working on a new strategic concept that will take [into account] the new situation on the ground, the game changers, the forced withdrawal of Shabab from Mogadishu, the new achievements thanks to the initiative by Kenya, TFG in the south, the new also promising initiative taken by Ethiopia in support of TFG with Beledweyne being liberated," Lamamra said. ...
"The new size is based on two assumptions. First, that enablers and force multipliers would be provided to AMISOM, including tactical and transport helicopters. Second assumption, that the Somali security and police force would be empowered. So it means that you will have AMISOM 17,700 and Somali security force, and police, which would represent the equivalent of AMISOM on the ground," Lamamra said.
All of the additional AMISOM manpower will consist of Kenyan troops already on the ground. They will be converted to the AMISOM command.
Despite the key role played by Ethiopian troops in the Beledweyne victory, and the lead role Addis Ababa has played in the overall fight against al-Shabab, Ethiopia has said it will not join AMISOM. Lamamra says Ethiopian commanders have indicated they expect their stay in Somalia to be brief.
If I recall correctly, the Kenyans sent 2,000 troops into southern Somalia. Does this mean that Kenya provides the other 3,700? Since they are "already on the ground," I guess the Kenyans reinforced their army on the ground. Or does this include helicopter and other "enabling" forces actually inside Kenya supporting the tip of the spear?
I don't have high hopes that the Somalis, AU, and Ethiopia can pacify Somalia. I do have hope that they can give the jihadis a bloody nose and set them back quite a bit. This is especially important if jihadis are fleeing their other reverses to find refuge in Somalia's chaos.
It is nice to see that the East Africans don't see the jihadis as just an American problem. The East African embassy bombings should have convinced them otherwise, but this shows a level of seriousness (and also the result of training efforts for their armies) that hasn't been there.
