MOGADISHU, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said on Friday that it has started the biometric registration of the Darwish militia in Jubbaland state, preceding their integration into the regional State's security forces.
Martin Abili, the AMISOM Police Coordinator in Kismayo said more than 5,000 members of the militia group will be registered in Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba regions.
"This is in line with AMISOM and UN program aimed at developing the force into a police force in Jubbaland that will be mandated to keep law, order and security in the state," Abili said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
He said the biometric registration entails collection of key personal data including photographs and fingerprints of each member of the group.
Abili said the militia will be integrated either into the Jubbaland state's police force, the paramilitary or the Somali National Army (SNA).
The AU mission said the exercise, which supports the development and strengthening of the country's national security institutions, is part of the security sector reform, which is viewed as a central priority for the Somali government and its partners, as set out in the landmark political agreement by Somali leaders on the National Security Architecture in April 2017.
The Jubbaland Force Commander Brigadier General Adan Mohamud Ibrahim described the exercise as "critical" for the region. "We are ready to avail all the troops everywhere, so that they will be registered," he stated.
