...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has confirmed the exit of the Burundian Defence Forces from the strategic town of Xawaadley, northwest of Mogadishu, adding that they left the area following flooding.
The statement comes after the al-Shabaab
... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...Death Eaters claimed to have captured Xawaadley village after clashing with Burundian troops, adding that they managed to run over the Forward Operating Base (FOB) within the country.
During the evacuation on Monday, the African Union said, one of the helicopters experienced a technical malfunction. However,
if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning...
despite this challenge, the pilots skilfully manoeuvred the aircraft to land safely.
"All troops and crew have been successfully evacuated to the nearest military base, and no casualties have been reported," read the statement. "AUSSOM commends the Burundian soldiers for their preparedness, which ensured a smooth and safe evacuation."
Without mentioning al-Shabaab's possible ambush, Kareem Adebayo, the Acting Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia, commended the troops for their continued support for the federal government of Somalia.
’’We commend the swift action of the AUSSOM Burundian troops during the delicate operation, and we reaffirm our continued support to the people and the Federal Government of Somalia in mitigating the effects of the flooding,’’ Kareem said.
This comes amid heightened al-Shabaab attacks across the country, with the government of Somalia also accused of failing to tackle the rising insurgency. The government of Somalia is accused of immersing itself in political conflicts rather than handling the al-Shabaab insurgency.
Somalia also risks defunding from the United States of America, which maintains that other partners must submit equal resources to sustain the peacekeeping mission. al-Shabaab remains a threat to stability within the Horn of Africa nations.
Al-Shabaab Claims It Shot Down Helicopter During AU Evacuation in Central Somalia
[ShabelleMedia] Somalia’s Al-Shabaab militant group has claimed responsibility for shooting down a helicopter near its stronghold in the Middle Shabelle region, during an evacuation mission by Burundian troops under the African Union’s AUSSOM mission, officials said Tuesday.
The helicopter was transporting Burundian peacekeepers from the flood-affected village of Hawadley when it went down on Monday. According to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure, prompting an emergency landing near territory controlled by the al-Qaeda-linked group.
All personnel on board, including the pilot and troops, evacuated safely and were later recovered and transferred to a nearby military base. The helicopter, left behind at the site, was later captured by Al-Shabaab fighters, who have since circulated images of the wreckage and claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft.
Local sources and Somali officials could not independently verify the claim. AUSSOM maintains that the incident was due to a technical malfunction and not enemy fire.
Following the AU withdrawal, local officials reported that Al-Shabaab may have re-entered Hawadley, a strategic village near Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle State, where the group retains significant influence.
Kareem Adebayo, the acting Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson for Somalia, commended the Burundian troops for their “swift and professional response” and reaffirmed the AU’s continued support to Somalia amid worsening flooding and persistent security threats.