Ethiopian General gears up to uproot Al-Shabaab from stronghold

[Deeq A.]

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADV) – The new Ethiopian General charged with the responsibility to flush out the rag-tag Al-Shabaab fighters from their strongholds in Somalia has said the task was doable.

“This Mission is a challenging one, but we are up to the task,” Lieutenant General Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn assured a high-profile African Union and

Ethiopian officials in Addis Ababa, sources said Saturday.

Lt. Gen. Wondimhunegn is already on the ground as Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

“The task ahead is enormous, but I am very confident that you can do it,” AMISOM’s political head, Francisco Caetano Madeira told the Ethiopian General during the handing over ceremony in Ethiopia this week.

Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn from Ethiopia, replaces Lt. Gen. Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire from Uganda who has served in the capacity since January 2018.

Gen. Tigabu has 34-years experience in the military and has served the Ethiopia National Defence Forces (ENDF) in several capacities, including as Division, Brigade, Battalion, and Company Commander.

Prior to his appointment, he served as a member of the Defense Council and Head of Defense Logistics Main Department, where he was instrumental in planning, delivery, generation and integration of the Defense Capability, among others.

He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration, a degree in Leadership and Military Science and a Diploma in Law.

AMISOM is fighting an uphill battle against the Islamist extremist group since nearly a decade now but Al-Shabaab fighters keep turning hell loose in Somalia and neighboring Kenya.

Previous Somali governments had alleged that the biggest challenge was to uproot the terror group from its strongholds in the south of the country along the borders with Kenya.

Ethiopia has over 4,200 soldiers serving the AMISOM group which composes countries neighbouring to Somalia serving under the aegis of the African Union.

Source: Africa Daily Voice