A select group of thirteen police officers from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) have successfully concluded an intensive five-day training focused on the detecting and neutralising Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). 

The training which ended on November 4, primarily addressed the challenges posed by IEDs along the Main Supply Routes during vehicle inspection operations. At the closing ceremony, An ATMIS Individual Police Officer (IPO) based in Jowhar, James Maada, highlighted the importance of the training: “IEDs are prevalent here. The training empowers us not just to safeguard ourselves but to also impart vital knowledge to our Somali counterparts.” 

The training empowers us not just to safeguard ourselves but to also impart vital knowledge to our Somali counterparts. Facilitated by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the workshop was to enhance the skills of the officers in the use of cutting-edge technology, bolstering intelligence capabilities, fostering efficient information exchange, and implementing strategic counter-IED operations.

Another ATMIS IPO, Bernice Quantson, lauded UNMAS’s role in arranging the training and emphasised its significance: “This training is instrumental for our IPOs here in Jowhar. It has equipped us with critical knowledge and how to be cautious.”

The Acting Police Coordinating Officer for ATMIS in Sector Five, SP Jimton Aguta, emphasised the valuable skills imparted by the training. He encouraged the officers to apply their newly acquired knowledge to fortify security within their areas.

UNMAS is a key partner to ATMIS and has over the years worked consistently to strengthen the capacity of both ATMIS and Somali Security Forces to effectively identify and disarm IEDs. These efforts have been crucial in mitigating the impact of IEDs laid by Al-Shabaab militants, which have historically led to substantial civilian casualties and severe disruptions to movement of people and goods.