Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-On Wednesday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud presided over the graduation of a new batch of the elite Danab special forces unit, trained and funded by U.S. forces at the Belidoogle Air Base in the Lower Shabelle region. The Danab unit plays a key role in Somalia’s fight against terrorism, particularly Al-Shabaab.

Following the graduation ceremony, President Mohamud is expected to embark on a diplomatic tour to visit troop-contributing countries and Eritrea, focusing on discussions about the post-ATMIS era and the new African Union mission in Somalia. The transition is critical for Somalia’s security as it plans for the eventual withdrawal of international forces and the handover to Somali-led security operations.

These developments come as the National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting, chaired by President Mohamud, ended without a consensus. Despite the government’s denial of failure, the meeting’s inability to reach agreements on key issues has raised concerns about the next steps in Somalia’s political and security landscape.

Currently, there are no ongoing major offensive operations against Al-Shabaab in south-central Somalia, adding urgency to the discussions on security and the future of Somalia’s military strategy post-ATMIS.