Security forces
ATMIS, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, 2022–2024
ATMIS replaced AMISOM on 1 April 2022 under UN Security Council resolution 2628. Its job was to hand security to Somali forces and leave by the end of 2024. It started with about 19,000 personnel from Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti, withdrew 2,000 by June 2023 and 3,000 more by the end of 2023, handed bases to the Somali army, and gave way to AUSSOM on 1 January 2025.
In short
ATMIS was the second of three African Union missions in Somalia. It followed AMISOM (2007–2022) and was followed by AUSSOM (from 2025). Unlike AMISOM, it was built around a timetable: hand over to the Somali National Army and leave.
Creation
The UN Security Council adopted resolution 2628 unanimously in March 2022, turning AMISOM into ATMIS (Amani Africa, "ATMIS drawdown: UN bodies"). ATMIS began on 1 April 2022, the day after AMISOM's mandate ended, with its headquarters in Mogadishu (Wikipedia, African Union Transition Mission in Somalia). The troop-sending countries were Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti (same source).
Its leaders were the head of mission, Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, and force commander Lieutenant General Sam Kavuma (same source). Within days of its start, on 6 April 2022, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble declared the outgoing AU envoy Francisco Madeira unwelcome; President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed rejected the order (same source).
The drawdown in phases
- Phase one, 2,000 troops. Extended by resolution 2670 to 30 June 2023. Garowe Online reported on 4 July 2023 that it was complete, with bases at Xaaji Cali, Miirtugo, Cadale, Albao, Marka Ayub, Gherille in Jubaland and Al-Jazeera in Mogadishu handed to the Somali army (Garowe Online, 4 July 2023; Amani Africa).
- Phase two, 3,000 troops. Resolution 2687 of June 2023 set a ceiling of 14,626 by the end of September 2023 (Garowe Online). The deadline was later moved to the end of December 2023 (Amani Africa).
- Phase three, 4,000 troops. Planned for June 2024, then staggered under resolution 2741, which extended ATMIS to 12 August 2024 (Amani Africa).
In April 2024 ATMIS still had about 14,000 troops and 850 police (Paul D. Williams, CTC Sentinel, April 2024).
Attacks on its camps
- 3 May 2022, El Baraf, Middle Shabelle. Al-Shabaab attacked a Burundian camp. A Burundian officer said 30 soldiers were killed and 22 wounded; it was the first attack on ATMIS (Wikipedia, citing Africanews).
- 26 May 2023, Buulo Mareer, Lower Shabelle. Al-Shabaab overran a Ugandan camp after suicide car bombs. Uganda's president said 54 Ugandan soldiers were killed; al-Shabaab claimed 137. It was the deadliest attack on Ugandan troops since 2007 (Mapping Militant Organizations, Stanford University; Wikipedia).
On 17 July 2024 two civilians were shot dead at Buulo Mareer; ATMIS opened an investigation on 20 July (Wikipedia).
Money and politics at the end
ATMIS ended with a funding shortfall of more than US$100 million at 31 December 2024 (Daisy Muibu and Yayedior Mbengue, CTC Sentinel, May 2025). In May 2024 Somalia asked the UN to end the mission as planned. Tension between Somalia and Ethiopia, after Ethiopia's January 2024 agreement with Somaliland, made planning its successor harder (Wikipedia). On 1 January 2025 AUSSOM took over.
Read the primary sources yourself
Sources
- Amani Africa, "ATMIS drawdown: UN bodies" · amaniafrica-et.org
- Wikipedia, African Union Transition Mission in Somalia · en.wikipedia.org
- Garowe Online, 4 July 2023 · garoweonline.com
- Paul D. Williams, CTC Sentinel, April 2024 · ctc.westpoint.edu
- Mapping Militant Organizations, Stanford University · mappingmilitants.org
- Daisy Muibu and Yayedior Mbengue, CTC Sentinel, May 2025 · ctc.westpoint.edu
Toosoo!
Calankii is made by Toosoo, which works for one united, prosperous Somalia.
Nothing is asked of you. Our work comes to you.
Read the callWhere this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Beledweyne (Belet Weyne) and HiiraanHiiraan is a region of Hirshabelle State on the Shabelle river, with Beledweyne as its capital and about 505,000 to 598,000 people.
- Jowhar (Johar) and Middle ShabelleMiddle Shabelle is the farming region along the Shabelle river north of Mogadishu, with Jowhar as its capital and about 1 to 1.26 million people.
- Marka (Merca) and Lower ShabelleLower Shabelle is Somalia's biggest farming region, along the Shabelle river south-west of Mogadishu, with Marka (Merca) as its capital and about 835,000 to…
- Baydhabo (Baidoa) and BayBay is a farming region in South West State, with Baidoa (Baydhabo) as its main city and about 1.25 to 1.8 million people.
- Kismaayo (Kismayo) and Lower JubaLower Juba is the far southern region on the border with Kenya, with the port city of Kismayo (Kismaayo) as its capital and about 1.2 million people.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- AMISOM, the African Union Mission in Somalia, 2007–2022AMISOM, 2007–2022: mandate, troop contributors and numbers, commanders, main operations, losses, funding and the record of abuses, until it became ATMIS.
- AUSSOM, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, 2025 to nowAUSSOM, the AU mission since January 2025: how it was approved, its size and troop allocations, Egypt and Ethiopia, Burundi's exit, and the funding gap.
- Commanders of the Somali army since 1960 (Taliyaha Ciidanka Xoogga)Every commander of the Somali armed forces since 1960, with their dates: the Republic, the military government, the transitional government and the federal government.
- Foreign forces in SomaliaWhich foreign states have deployed or trained forces in Somalia since 2006: Ethiopia, Kenya, the United States, Turkey, the UAE, Egypt, Eritrea and others, from the sources.
- Turkey's military in Somalia: Camp TURKSOM, drones and the sea pactTurkey's military role in Somalia since 2017: the TURKSOM base and the units it trains, armed drones and helicopters, the 2024 defence pact and navy, troop mandates, and the offshore oil link.
- The United Arab Emirates' military in SomaliaThe UAE's military role in Somalia: the Puntland maritime police, training and pay for federal units, the 2018 break, bases at Bosaso and Berbera, air strikes in Puntland, the 2024 attack and the 2026 cancellation.