AU Transition Mission in Somalia Concludes Phase One of Troop Drawdown - Hands Over Final Two Forward Operating Bases

NR No: 015 Date: 30 JUNE 2023
SHOTLIST: AU Transition Mission in Somalia concludes Phase One of troop

drawdown – hands over final two Forward Operating Bases
DURATION: 9:02
SOURCE: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION.
RESTRICTIONS: This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and
radio use. It is not to be sold and is restricted for other purposes. All inquiries to
thenewsroom@auunist.org
CREDIT REQUIRED: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 29/JUNE/2023, GHERILLE, ALJAZEERA 1, SOMALIA
SHOT LIST:
1. Wide shot – ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers loading their
personal belongings onto a truck at the Gherille Forward Operating Base in
Jubaland State.
2. Wide shot – A truck loaded with the cargo of ATMIS KDF troops at the
Gherille Forward Operating Base.
3. Wide shot – An ATMIS KDF soldier walks in front of trucks loaded with cargo
at the Gherille Forward Operating Base.
4. Wide shot – A truck loaded with personal items of soldiers drives through
5. Med shot – ATMIS KDF soldiers load items on an armoured vehicle at the
6. Med shot – An ATMIS KDF soldier atop an armoured vehicle at the Gherille
Forward Operating Base.
7. Close up shot – ATMIS KDF soldiers atop an armoured vehicle at the Gherille
8. Med shot – ATMIS KDF soldiers atop an armoured vehicle at the Gherille
Forward Operating Bas.
For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col. Abdullahi Ganale, Email: au-amisomhom@africa-union.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
9. Wide shot – Senior ATMIS and Somali Security Forces officers inspecting
facilities at the Gherille Forward Operating Base.
10. Med shot – An ATMIS KDF soldier emerges from a room near the solar
system and generator plant at the Gherille Forward Operating Base.
11. Moving shot – A solar power plant at the Gherille Forward Operating Base.
12. Wide shot – Senior ATMIS and SSF officers walk into a room at the Gherille
13. Med shot – ATMIS and SSF officers at a briefing at the Gherille Forward
Operating Base.
14. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Lt. Col. Andrew Kamau Nganga, ATMIS Kenya
Battalion commander
“We will still continue to work closely with the incoming commander and his
team so that we can support to establish themselves, in their Area of
Responsibility the way we have been doing since 2019.”
15. Wide shot – SSF forces in Gherille being briefed by their commander.
16. Med shot – A senior SSF commander speaking.
17. Close up shot – The soldiers listening.
18. Close up shot – SSF commander speaking.
19. Wide shot – The soldiers listening.
20. Med shot – The soldiers listening.
21. Wide shot – The soldiers listening.
22. Med shot – The SSF soldiers at the base.
23. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) Col. Noor Abdi Hussein, Deputy Commander -
Jubaland Security Forces, Gedo region
“The most priceless thing a human can give you is to shed his blood for you
and that is exactly what KDF did for Somalia. Kenya is like our right hand.
They have been nurturing us like their own child.”
24. Wide shot – Signing of the handover documents.

25. Tilt up shot - Maj. Terence Shitanda Soita signing.
26. Close up shot – Kenyan flag.
27. Med shot – Col. Milton Katarinyeba and SSF soldiers looking on.
28. Med shot – The ATMIS Gherille FOB commander, Maj. Terence Shitanda
Soita and the Jubaland Security Forces commander for Gherille signing.
29. Close up shot – Jubaland Federal state flag.
30. Wide shot – The ATMIS Gherille FOB commander, Maj. Shitanda and the
Jubaland Security Forces commander for Gherille signing.

31. Med shot – The ATMIS Gherille FOB commander, Maj. Shitanda and the
Jubaland Security Forces commander for Gherille shaking hands and
exchanging the signed documents.
32. Wide shot – Exchange of signed documents.
33. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Maj. Terence Shitanda Soita, Commander,
ATMIS Gherille FOB
“We ensured as much as we could that we conducted joint operations in line
with the mentorship. We are confident that the SSF have acquired adequate
skills to carry on with the operations.”
34. Wide shot – ATMIS military and SSF officers arriving at the Aljazeera Forward
Operating Base (FOB) in Mogadishu.
35. Wide shot – The SSF soldiers being shown the gifted equipment.
36. Close up shot - ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig. Gen. Peter
Omola.
37. Wide shot – Inspecting the prefabricated accommodation.
38. Med shot – Graders.
39. Med shot – Inspecting kitchen equipment.
40. Wide shot – ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig. Gen.Omola
speaking.
41. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Brig. Gen. Peter Omola, Commander, ATMIS
Uganda contingent
“Al-Jazeera One FOB is and has been one of our training centres. It was
established to provide training and career development courses to the SSF.
Throughout its existence, we have conducted several mentorship courses to
include but not limited to EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), counter-
improvised explosive device (IED), and route search training.”
42. Med shot – ATMIS Uganda Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers listening.
43. Close up shot – ATMIS military officers listening.
44. Med shot – ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig. Gen. Omola
listening.
45. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Col. Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Advisor to the
SNA Chief of Defence Forces (CDF)
“We are honoured for the time ATMIS and its predecessor, AMISOM, held the
responsibility of the security of those FOBs in particular Al-Jazeera One,
which was a training FOB and the Uganda contingent, part of ATMIS has
been here for over 16 years and is today handing over to SSF.”

46. Med shot – ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig. Gen. Omola signing
the handover documents.
47. Close up shot – Signing handover documents.
48. Close up shot - ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig. Gen. Omola.
49. Med shot – ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig. Gen. Omola and
Col. Ahmed, the Advisor to the SNA Chief of Defence Forces (CDF)
exchanging the signed documents.
50. Med shot – ATMIS UPDF officers leaving the FOB.
51. Wide shot – ATMIS UPDF officers boarding a military truck.
52. Wide shot – SSF soldiers at Aljazeera FOB.
53. Med shot – ATMIS KDF soldiers leaving Gherille FOB.
54. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Col. Milton Katarinyeba, ATMIS military Chief
Operations Officer
“We are handing over the FOB to the SSF, specifically the Jubaland Security
Forces. You are responsible and accountable. But most importantly, this
provides a beginning of how federal government forces should work with the
regional forces. We encourage you to work together for the good of the
Somalia and defend your country and your people.”
55. Wide shot – African Union flag being lowered.

56. Med shot – Somalia National flag being hoisted.
57. Med shot – SSF soldiers saluting.
58. Wide shot – The Somalia National flag flying.
AU Transition Mission in Somalia concludes Phase One of troop drawdown –

hands over final two Forward Operating Bases
Mogadishu, 30 June 2023 – The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia

(ATMIS) has concluded the first phase of the troop drawdown after handing over the
last two Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), Aljazeera 1 in Mogadishu and Gherille in
Jubaland State.
In collaboration with the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and the
Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), a total of seven FOBs were earmarked for
handover to enable the drawdown of 2000 troops. All the seven FOBs, including -
Xaaji Cali, Miirtugo, Cadale, Albao, Gherille, Aljazeera 1 and Marka Ayub, have been
handed over to Somali Security Forces (SSF).

The final two to be handed over, Gherille FOB in the Gedo region of Jubaland State
was under the responsibility of ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) while Aljazeera
1 located on the outskirts of the capital, Mogadishu, was under the responsibility of
ATMIS Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
In Gherille, near the Kenya-Somalia border, the ATMIS commander of the FOB, Maj.
Terence Shitanda Soita, handed over the facility to the Jubaland Security Forces
(JSF) commander of the FOB, Lt. Col. Salan Afey, at an event witnessed by senior
ATMIS and Somali National Army (SNA) officials.
The Commander of ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Battalion based in

Burahache, Lt. Col. Andrew Kamau Nganga, described the handover as historic and
lauded the SSF for their cooperation. He pledged continued support and
collaboration.
“We will still continue to work closely with the incoming commander and his team to
support them to establish themselves,” said Lt. Col. Nganga.
The Deputy Commander of Jubaland Security Forces in the Gedo region, Col. Noor
Abdi Hussein, commended ATMIS KDF troops for their continued contributions to
the ongoing efforts to restore security and stability in Somalia.
“One of the biggest sacrifices someone can make is to shed his blood for you and
that is exactly what KDF have done for Somalia. Kenya is like our right hand. They
have been very supportive,” said Lt. Col. Noor.
The former ATMIS KDF Gherille FOB commander, Maj. Shitanda, said the FOB had
significantly contributed to the safety and security in the region by facilitating
operations against the Al-Shabaab and other armed groups.
“This FOB was strategic to conducting offensives and joint operations against Al-
Shabaab and other armed groups. Together with our brothers, we have done
mentorship programmes and we are confident that the SSF have acquired the
needed capacity to carry on with the operations,” said Maj. Shitanda.
The ATMIS military Chief Operations Officer, Col. Milton Katarinyeba, who was also
in Gherille for the handover, appealed to the Jubaland Security Forces to remain
vigilant and collaborate with Federal government forces to ensure the safety of the
local population.
At the Al-Jazeera 1 Training camp, the ATMIS Uganda contingent commander, Brig.
Gen. Peter Omola, handed over the FOB to Col. Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, the
Advisor to the SNA Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

“Throughout its existence, we have conducted several mentorship courses including,
Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED),
and route search training among other capacity building initiatives here,” said Brig.
Gen. Omola.
While welcoming the handover of the FOB, Col. Ahmed lauded the African Union for
its efforts to restore security in Somalia.
“We are honoured for the time ATMIS and its predecessor, AMISOM, took
responsibility for the security of these FOBs, particularly Al-Jazeera 1, which was a
training FOB,” said Col. Ahmed.
“We are thankful for the time and effort of UPDF and the great work that has been
done,” he added.
The ATMIS Chief Logistics Officer, Col. Bosco Sibondavyi, who represented the
Force Commander, said the handover of the FOBs were an important milestone in
the implementation of the Somalia Transition Plan (STP), the Concept of Operations
(CONOPS) and the UN Security Council Resolutions 2628 and 2670 (2022).
End


AU Transition Mission in Somalia Concludes Phase One of Troop Drawdown - Hands Over Final Two Forward Operating Bases

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AU Transition Mission in Somalia Concludes Phase One of Troop Drawdown - Hands Over Final Two Forward Operating Bases

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NR No: 015 Date: 30 JUNE 2023

SHOTLIST: AU Transition Mission in Somalia concludes Phase One of troop

SOURCE: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION.

CREDIT REQUIRED: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI NATURAL SOUND

DATELINE: 29/JUNE/2023, GHERILLE, ALJAZEERA 1, SOMALIA

For more information please contact:

24. Wide shot – Signing of the handover documents.

For more information please contact:

For more information please contact:

55. Wide shot – African Union flag being lowered.