The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has concluded a two-day training on International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights and Gender for AMISOM, Somalia National Army (SNA) and Jubbaland forces.

The training in Kismayo, the administrative capital of Jubbaland State, was to sensitise AMISOM and Somali troops on how to integrate issues of Humanitarian Law, Human Rights and Gender into joint operations. The training covered security sector reform, conflict-related sexual violence, Human Rights Law, gender mainstreaming, civil-military cooperation, among topics.

The AMISOM Head of Security Sector Reform, Hamouda Kanu, said the training was part of an ongoing capacity-building support to ensure that Somali Security Forces are well informed and trained.

"These are programmes that we are implementing for Somali forces is to ensure that they are well informed and trained on these issues which are important to peace support operations,” said Kanu.

According to Kanu, the training is the first in a series of ongoing sessions that will also be conducted for AMISOM troops and Somali security forces based in Dhobley and Mogadishu.

A participant from the Jubbaland Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abdikadir Ali, said the training was helpful. It made him to understand his obligations to protecting civilians during conflict, and how to handle captured combatants or those who surrender during counter-terrorism operations.

Lieutenant Hassan Mukhtar Omar, another participant from the SNA, said the training would enable the troops to improve the conduct of military operations.

"We will share the knowledge and experiences shared with our colleagues who were unable to benefit from the training,”Mukhtar said.