The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is due to maintain its withdrawal plan from the country, a Kenyan media outlet has reported.
The plan involves preparing an additional group of 3,000 troops to exit the country as part of a long-term rebuilding plan for the North African nation.
The ATMIS leaders announced this week that the latest troops removal will be completed by the end of September.
In response, both the African Union and the United Nations missions in Somalia have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Somalia's state-building efforts in order to address the resulting security gap.
ATMIS head Mohamed El-Amine Souef and head of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) Aisa Kirabo Kacyira recently visited Kismayu, a town in southern Somalia.
During their visit, they held meetings with UN and ATMIS personnel to discuss the ongoing offensive against the terrorists, as well as security and political matters.
Souef emphasized the importance of providing specialized training and knowledge transfer to Somalia's public servant to enhance the capacity and expertise of the country's workforce in various sectors.
"Somalia has made great progress, and that progress is due to the collaborative work with Atmis and the UN in terms of improving security and fighting against Al Shabaab militants. Today, people in Somalia can live safely," the official stated. "I would like to remind you that we are here for a good cause to support the people of Somalia. Whatever we do, we should put their interests first," Souef added in his address to the mission's staff based in Kismayu.
Nevertheless, according to the Kenyan media outlet, the plans to withdraw troops directly impacts neighboring Kenya, which has recently experienced attacks from the al-Shabaab terrorists.
On August 2, Kenya's security forces killed 60 al-Shabaab terrorists as they attempted to attack four bus fleets at the Lamu-Tana River counties crossroads.
On August 1, the terrorist group set up an ambush in the Mwembeni region on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and the injuries of ten others, among them James Njaaga, a ward representative.
Despite Kenya's Lamu having experienced instability, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has recently stated that the nation's government is making every effort to safeguard civilians from such assaults.
* Terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other nations