STORY: AMISOM and security partners committed to end

the use of Improvised Explosive Devices in Somalia

DURATION: 3:16
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
RESTRICTIONS: This media asset is free for editorial
broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is not to be sold on
and is restricted for other purposes. All enquiries to
thenewsroom@auunist.org
CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 26-27/OCTOBER/2019, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the

African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, Simon Mulongo
arriving at the venue the counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)
seminar
2. wide shot, DSRCC, Simon Mulongo, flanked by Maj. Gen. George
Owinow, Deputy AMISOM Force Commander Support and Logistics listening
at the seminar
3. Med shot, DSRCC, Simon Mulongo, flanked by Maj. Gen. George
Owinow, the Deputy AMISOM Force Commander in charge of Support and
Logistics, listening at the seminar
4. Med shot, partners from the United Nations Mine Action Service and
UK-70 team listening during the seminar
5. Med shot, AMISOM military officers and partners listening during the
seminar
6. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) SIMON MULONGO, DEPUTY SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN
UNION COMMISSION (DSRCC) FOR SOMALIA
“We expect you to continue exploiting the very information you have been
given to your advantage, and I am happy to know that we have reduced on
the carnage resulting from IEDs in terms of numbers of deaths, and this is
simply because of the training we are giving to you, but also on the other
hand the zealous nature with which you are using these tools to be able to
guard yourselves”.

7. Wide shot, participants applauding

8. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) MAJ.GEN. GEORGE OWINOW, DEPUTY
AMISOM FORCE COMMANDER, SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS
“The best weapon against an IED is a well-trained soldier who practices
correct drills, maintains conscious situational awareness of his environment
during one’s movement. Continuous training based on lessons learned and
understanding our faults is therefore key. I would like to thank UNMAS for
playing a big role in this, and for their pre-deployment training programmes”.
 9. Wide shot, facilitator from AMISOM inviting the next speaker
10. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) LT. COL BOB SLAY, ACTING
COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES SOMALIA
“The IED environment in Somalia is a complex and evolving one, and
therefore our response must also evolve and adapt at an even faster
pace. The IED is still a dominant asset for Al shabaab and AMISOM
must continue to improve in order to counter the use of this weapon.
We all need to persevere and assist with the development of their
capability, so that when the Somali security forces take the lead,they
will have a C-IED capability”.

11. Wide shot, course facilitator making a presentation

12. Med shot, course facilitator making a presentation
13. Wide shot, course facilitator making a presentation
14. Med shot, participants listening during the seminar
15. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) MAJ. JACOB KOLILA MANTAI, AMISOM
STAFF OFFICER 2, MINE INFORMATION AWARENESS
“One of the things that I have learnt from the seminar is that you cannot fight
IED with one arm or fight IEDs alone. We need that concerted effort, multi-
agency approach, and therefore the need for information sharing and
intelligence sharing is critical amongst all security forces, be it AMISOM,
Somali Security Forces or even our partners. When I go back to my place of
work I will take the knowledge that I have gained through this seminar. I will
share with my colleagues, and soldiers under my command”..
16. Med shot, participants leaving the room at the end of the seminar

AMISOM and security partners committed to end the use of Improvised Explosive
Devices in Somalia

Mogadishu, 28 October 2019 – Stakeholders in Somalia's security sector on Sunday

concluded a meeting in Mogadishu on the threat posed by Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs).

The two-day counter-IED seminar supported by the African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM), the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the British Army, highlighted
the need to build the capacity of Somali security forces to combat the use of IEDs.

IEDs remain a weapon of choice for terrorists who target AMISOM convoys, Somali
security forces and civilians traveling along the main supply routes. As a result, this
hampers movement of people, goods, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to
communities in need.

Participants during the seminar discussed issues relating to pre-deployment and in-
mission training of AMISOM troops and their counterpart Somali security forces,
dismantling the IED network within Somalia, and disposal of explosives, among
others.

They also highlighted the importance of improving the capacity of the Somali
security forces to take over from AMISOM in mitigating the IED threat, which will in
turn facilitate the handover of security responsibilities by AMISOM in line with the
Somalia Transition Plan.

Lt. Col. Bob Slay, the acting Commander of the British Forces in Somalia, noted, "The
IED environment in Somalia is complex and evolving." He suggested response
mechanisms must therefore evolve and adapt faster to address the threat posed by
IEDs in Somalia.

The Deputy Force Commander for AMISOM in-charge of Support and Logistics, Maj.
Gen. George Owinow noted that mitigating the threat posed by IEDs required
continuous training of Somali security forces and AMISOM personnel.

"The best weapon against IEDs is a well-trained soldier who practice correct drills,
and maintains a conscious awareness of the environment," noted Maj Gen Owinow.

The Deputy Head of AMISOM, Simon Mulongo, noted that countering IEDs is key to
AMISOM’s war against terrorism and emphasised that AMISOM would implement a
raft of measures to curtail importation of explosive materials that are used as
ingredients in the making of IEDs.

Currently, UNMAS trains Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams during the
mandatory pre-deployment training for African Union troops before they are
deployed to Somalia. The EOD trainings are done in Kenya and Uganda and will be
rolled out to other AMISOM troop-contributing countries including Burundi, Djibouti,
and Ethiopia.

Since September 2016, AMISOM has hosted seminars to take stock of the threat
posed by IEDs, seek solutions to the threat and mobilise resources to counter the
use of IEDs in Somalia. ENDS