African Union Mission to Somalia

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African Union Mission in Somalia
Map of Somalia
Dates of operation	March 2007 – 31 March 2022 (15 years, 25 days)
Headquarters	Mogadishu
Active regions	Central and southern Somalia
Size	20,626 (2019)[1]
Allies	Federal government of Somalia Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (2007–18) Raskamboni movement
Opponents	al-Shabaab ARS (2007–09) Hizbul Islam (2009–14) Al-Qaeda
Battles and wars	Somali Civil War
Website	amisom-au.org
Preceded by IGASOM Succeeded by ATMIS

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a Multinational force operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations Security Council. It was mandated to support transitional governmental structures, implement a national security plan, train the Somali security forces, and to assist in creating a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid.^[2] As part of its duties, AMISOM supported the Federal Government of Somalia's forces in their battle against Al-Shabaab militants.^[3]

AMISOM was created by the African Union's Peace and Security Council on 19 January 2007 with an initial six-month mandate.^[4] On 21 February 2007 the United Nations Security Council approved the mission's mandate.^[5] Subsequent six-monthly renewals of AMISOM's mandate by the African Union Peace and Security Council have also been authorized by the United Nations Security Council.^[6][7]

After four years of intense urban fighting against Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu, during the Battle of Mogadishu (2010–2011) the Uganda Army and Burundian Army forced the militants to withdraw from the capital. In the succeeding years 2012-2015 a number of towns in the hinterland were recaptured, though most of the rural clans remained under harsh Al-Shabaab domination.

The duration of AMISOM's mandate had been extended in each period that it has been up for review, until it was replaced on April 1, 2022, by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia.

On 21 December 2021, the United Nations Security Council reauthorized AMISOM in Somalia for three months. The new mandate ran until 31 March 2022, ahead of a phased handover of responsibilities to Somalia's security forces in early 2023.^[8] The reauthorized mandate allows AMISOM to 'take all necessary measures to carry out its mandate, in full compliance with participating States' obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and in full respect of Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence.^[9] AMISOM's mandate ended on 31 March 2022, and was replaced by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia.^[10]