NR No: 002/2024 Date: 17 May 2024

SHOTLIST: Somali and African Union Forces train to tackle IED threat

DURATION: 2:30

SOURCE: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION

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CREDIT REQUIRED: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND

DATELINE: 16/MAY/2024, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Med shot – ATMIS military Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Kindu Gezu among other
leaders sitting down.
2. Wide shot – Participants listening to the Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices C-
IED workshop.
3. Med shot – ATMIS military Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Kindu Gezu and UNMAS Chief
Justin Smith during the opening ceremony.
4. Med shot – Participants listening.
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brig. Gen. Kindu Gezu, ATMIS military Chief of Staff
“This support has served to enhance our operational effectiveness and has been
pivotal in the actualization of ATMIS mandate in supporting the Somali-led
peace and security process.”

6. Close up shot – Participants listening.

7. Close–up shot – A participant listening.
8. Close-up shot – A participant listening.
9. Close–up shot – A participant listening.
10. Wide shot – The Head of ATMIS Protection, Human Rights and Gender Division
Dr. Omar Abdulle Alasow addressing participants.
11. Close–up shot – A participant listening.

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
12. Med shot – The Head of ATMIS Protection, Human Rights and Gender Division Dr.
Omar Abdulle Alasow addressing participants.
13. Med shot – UNMAS officials listening.
14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Justin Smith, UNMAS Chief
“Since 2017 ATMIS found and cleared 439 IEDs, preventing 1,756 potential
casualties. In 2023 alone, ATMIS Search and EOD teams found and cleared 74
percent of devices assessed as targeting ATMIS troops, preventing a potential 150
ATMIS casualties.”

15. Wide shot – Participants listening.

16. Close–up shot – A participant listening.
17. Med shot – Participants listening.
18. Close–up shot – A participant listening.
19. Wide shot – ATMIS Force Chief Engineer Col. Suleiman Ibrahim addressing
participants.
20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Col Suleiman Ibrahim, ATMIS Force Chief Engineer
“An effective counter IED effort requires ingenuity, adaptability and application of
the basic tents of counter IED. It is important to state that the fight against the IED
menace is not an easy one and requires concerted efforts by all stakeholders
towards mitigating it.”

21. Close–up shot – A participant listening.

22. Med shot – Col. Aaadan Abdullahi Ali, Somalia National Army Chief Engineer
presenting a certificate to a participant.
23. Close–up shot – UNMAS official listening.
24. Med shot – Col. Aaadan Abdullahi Ali, Somalia National Army Chief Engineer
presenting a certificate to a participant.
25. Close–up shot – Participants listening.
26. Wide shot – Participants walking out of the conference hall.
27. Wide shot – Participants pose for a group photo.

Somali and African Union Forces train to tackle IED threat

Mogadishu, 17 May 2024 - Eighty officers from the Somali Security Forces (SSF) and
the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) have concluded a three-day
training on countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by illegal armed
groups, including Al Shabaab.

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
The training, facilitated by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the
United Kingdom Mission Support Team (UK-MST), aimed to enhance the operational
efficiency of SSF in dealing with IED risks in the Federal Member States (FMS). The
comprehensive programme covered various aspects of IED detection, disposal, and
post-blast investigation techniques.

“This training will be pivotal in the actualisation of the ATMIS mandate to degrade Al
Shabaab in support of the Somali-led peace and security process,” said ATMIS
military Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Kindu Gezu.

Brig. Gen. Gezu emphasised the importance of continued vigilance in countering the
threats posed by IEDs, which are the primary weapon of choice for Al-Shabaab in its
asymmetric warfare.

The Chief of UNMAS, Justin Smith, highlighted the successful collaboration between
ATMIS, SSF, and UNMAS over the years, which has enabled the troops to detect and
neutralize a significant number of IEDs planted by Al Shabaab militants in various
parts of the country.

He said since 2017, ATMIS Counter-IED teams have managed to discover and safely
detonate 439 devices, preventing an estimated 1,756 potential casualties.

"In 2023 alone, ATMIS Search and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams found
and cleared 74 percent of devices assessed as targeting ATMIS troops, preventing a
potential 150 ATMIS casualties," said the UNMAS Somalia Chief.

ATMIS Military Chief Engineer, Col. Suleiman Ibrahim, urged partners to effectively
tackle the IED menace to minimize threats to livelihoods, infrastructure, and
humanitarian relief efforts.

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
"An effective counter-IED effort requires ingenuity, adaptability, and application of
basic tenets. The fight against the IED menace is not easy and requires concerted
efforts by all stakeholders," Col. Ibrahim observed at the closing ceremony on
Thursday.

The Chief Engineer for the Somali National Army, Col. Adan Abdullahi Ali, expressed
his gratitude to ATMIS, UNMAS, and UK-MST for providing the Somali Security
Forces (SSF) with the relevant skills and equipment to ensure Somalia's peace and
stability.

The theme for this year's training workshop was 'Working towards a sustainable SSF
Counter-IED capacity development in preparation for the Somalia security transition'.

During the training, participants discussed Somalia's IED threats, the Somali National
Army's threat assessment, and ongoing counter-IED operations.

UNMAS and ATMIS have been working together to improve the capacity of SSF
personnel, equipping them with the necessary skills and facilities to detect and destroy
IEDs that pose a threat to civilian safety.

Ends///…

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube