The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said its police officers have successfully wrapped up an explosive hazard and awareness training course in Baidoa, southwest Somalia, to ensure the safety and security of the people.
The ATMIS said the training featured practical demonstrations on convoy movement planning, countering complex attacks and improvised explosive device (IED) awareness.
“The program is aimed to provide the officers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively deal with IEDs in ATMIS’ areas of responsibility,” the AU mission said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It said during the training, the participants also learned how to identify vulnerable areas and types of improvised explosive devices used by militant groups that have been fighting in Somalia.
The IEDs have become al-Shabab’s weapon of choice in its asymmetrical warfare in the major towns, and main supply routes have been singled out as the biggest threat to Somalia’s security and stability.
The use of deadly devices on main supply routes has been cited as one of the key reasons restricting response to humanitarian crises.
According to the ATMIS, al-Shabab often plants IEDs on the main supply routes targeting the African Union and government troops, but civilians often get hit.
