MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali National Army (SNA) has taken control of Burgavo, the final military camp handed over by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), marking the completion of Phase Three of the troop drawdown.
Burgavo, a small town in Lower Jubba region on Somalia’s southern coast, lies about 530km from the capital, Mogadishu. The base used by Kenyan defense forces serving under ATMIS, played a key role in countering Al-Shabaab’s influence and securing the vital Burgavo-Ras Kamboni main supply road.
A brief handover ceremony was presided over by Col. Meshack Kishoyian, ATMIS Sector Two Deputy Commander, and attended by ATMIS Military Chief Engineer Col. Suleiman Ibrahim, SNA representative Maj. Sakariye Mohamed Omar, officials from Jubaland state, and representatives from the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).
During the event, the outgoing ATMIS FOB Commander, Maj. Charles Kaara, and the incoming SNA FOB Commander, Maj. Muktar Mohamed, signed the handover documents, with Santosh Koka signing on behalf of the UNSOS Transition Planning Cell.
Col. Ibrahim said the event demonstrates the growing capacity and dedication of the Somali Security Forces to take on their own security responsibilities, with the support of ATMIS, UNSOS, and other partners.
“I commend the Somali Security Forces for their strong commitment in taking responsibility for all the military bases handed over,” he said, expressing confidence that, in partnership with all involved, they will continue to demonstrate their growing capabilities and work towards bringing lasting peace to Somalia.
Dislodged from Al-Shabaab in 2011, Burgavo has played a crucial role in curbing the militant group’s activities in the Lower Jubba region. As a port town, it has also been instrumental in preventing the import of illicit goods into the region, said Col. Kishoyian.
SNA’s representative, Maj. Omar, acknowledged the contributions of Kenyan-ATMIS troops in degrading Al-Shabaab’s operations. “Somalia is much safer now, and the momentum of our forces remains unwavering,” he said.
As part of the drawdown process, UNSOS provided essential equipment to the SNA, including generators, refrigerators, and freezers, to maintain operational capacity. Since 2023, ATMIS has handed over 21 military bases to the Somali National Army (SNA) and withdrawn 9,000 troops, marking significant progress toward Somalia’s security self-sufficiency.
Somalia is preparing for a new African Union mission, set to begin in January 2025, as ATMIS winds down by the end of this year. Ethiopia, a troop-contributing country for ATMIS, lost its place in the new mission due to its maritime deal with Somaliland, a breakaway region. Somalia has also been pushing Egypt to join, amid ongoing tensions between Somalia and Egypt on one side, and Ethiopia on the other.
