MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s government is willing to extend the stay of African Union peacekeepers less than 20 months before their scheduled exit, the East African newspaper reported on Sunday.
Somali authorities have begun lobbying the international community and influential leaders in the region to agree to the extension, a move that signals the challenge of defeating Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabaab militants.
The AU Peace and Security Council is set to convene on April 27 to discuss the possible extension of the presence of their peacekeepers in Somalia following repeated calls from Somali President and his government.
Uganda People’s Defence Force spokesperson Brig-Gen Felix Kulayigye said he supports Somali President’s efforts to lobby for the extension of the exit deadline for ATMIS peacekeepers as the force is still unable to defeat militants in 15 years of fighting.
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