Somalia wants to terminate the UN political mission assisting peace efforts in the country

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Somalia is asking the United Nations to terminate its political mission in the country, which has been assisting the government to bring peace and stability in the face of attacks by the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab.

In a letter to the Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres obtained Friday by The Associated Press, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said the decision followed “a thorough consideration of our strategic priorities.”

The current mandate of the mission, known as UNSOM, expires Oct. 31 and Fiqi asked for “the swift conclusion of the necessary procedures for the termination of the mission by the end of the mandate.”

The U.N. mission has worked closely with African Union peacekeepers, whose current transitional mission, ATMIS, has been scaling back its presence and is expected to turn over security responsibilities to Somali forces at the end of the year. In November, the Security Council suspended the AU pullout for three months at Somalia’s request because of fighting with al-Shabab.

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