AMISOM calls for aid to counter use of IEDs in Somalia

Mogadishu 2, September 2016 – Countering the ongoing threat to life and security caused by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Somalia, will require additional resources from international partners as well as increased cordon and search operations and training for AMISOM and Somali security personnel on counter IEDs measures, according to military experts.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has made an appeal for technical expertise and equipment to help counter the use of IED’s which have become the weapon of choice of the militant group Al-Shabaab.

The appeal was made at a three-day seminar organized to raise awareness of the IED situation in Somalia, which ended Thursday. The participants representing AMISOM and Somali Police Force (SPF) met to learn about the devices and ways of countering their threat.

“I have engaged partners and friends on the necessities to enhance counter IED defeat measures. This is because some of the Troop Contributing Countries have limited capabilities that are inadequate to defeat the use of IEDs,” AMISOM Deputy Force Commander in charge of Support and Logistics, Nakibus Lakara, said during the closing ceremony of the workshop.

He noted that the militants were manufacturing bigger IEDs, some weighing more than 80 kilograms.

Maj. Gen. Lakara called for the strengthening of counter intelligence measures between AMISOM and its partners to effectively tackle the problem.

Speaking at the same event, Lt Col Geoff Minton, who represented the United Kingdom, said the United Kingdom will remain a major ally to the government of Somalia and AMISOM in countering the use of the deadly devices.
“We are looking forward to working with more SNA (Somali National Army) officers and a greater Federal Government of Somalia participation in future to increase their understanding of IED threats and to start planning for capabilities they would need in order to play their part in countering IEDs,” Lt Col Minton observed.

Captain Asad Abdalle Said from the Somali Police Force thanked the organizers and said he would use the skills learned to educate his colleagues on tackling IEDs.

“We have benefited a lot from the seminar, for example, learning how to counter IEDs, controlled explosion techniques and also defusing the devices. I am hoping to pass the skills to my colleagues in the Somali Police Force so that they can save lives of Somalis,” he said.

The seminar was organized by the AMISOM Mission Enabling Unit, supported by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and funded by the United Kingdom Mission Support Team (UK MST).

Source: amisom-au.org