AU trains Somalia police to beef up security

The Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has kicked off a second phase of training for local police recruits in the southern city of Kismayo to boost the country's ability to maintain security.

A statement from AMISOM said Friday the three-month training for the 203 Jubbaland police recruits will be conducted by AMISOM police trainers from July to October.

AMISOM deputy Superintendent of Police, Alexander Kweku Obeng, said the basic policing course would focus on human rights observance and community policing among others.

"The training program for these recruits is very intensive because we are looking at both, practical and theoretical aspects that will affect their side of the community's effective and communicative domain of the recruits," Obeng said.

"This is to ensure that the liberated areas are secured for the general public to go about their routine activities," he added, referring to areas retaken from Islamist group Al-Shabaab.

Obeng added 30 percent of the trainees were female recruits, describing it as an improvement from last recruitment exercise.

AMISOM forces have for the past years been helping the Somali government battle Al-Shabaab militants who frequently carry out attacks in the country. Endit