New African Union chair pledges sustained security support for Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Newly elected African Union (AU) Chair Mohamud Ali Yusuf has vowed that the organization’s military assistance to Somalia will remain steadfast under his leadership, reports Somali Guardian. 

Yusuf, who assumed the AU’s top post recently, during a visit to Somalia lauded President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as a “visionary and charismatic leader” whose efforts have been pivotal in advancing the country’s stability. He urged Somalis to rally behind their president in the ongoing battle against Al-Shabaab militants, who have intensified their offensive in recent weeks. 

President Mohamud cut short his trip to the frontline town of Adale in the Middle Shabelle region to personally welcome Yusuf and engage in high-level talks.  

The discussions are believed to have centered on bolstering international support, including lobbying African nations to deploy additional troops to Somalia to avert a potential fall of the capital, Mogadishu, to Al-Shabaab. 

The insurgents have made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, capturing vast areas near Mogadishu and effectively encircling the city from the north and south. Their advances along key highways have raised alarm bells, with fears mounting over the security of the capital. 

President Mohamud has been actively mobilizing Somali forces and clan militias in Adale, a strategic coastal town, to stem the militant group’s advance. However, the Somali National Army remains in disarray, struggling to coordinate a cohesive defense against the well-armed and organized militants. 

Yusuf’s visit underscores the AU’s commitment to stabilizing Somalia, where its peacekeeping mission has been a critical bulwark against violent groups for over a decade.