UN Announces End of Somalia Mission as Al-Shabaab Threat Persists in Kenya

UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced that the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) will cease operations on October 31, 2026, following Security Council resolutions and a request from Somalia’s federal government. The mission’s responsibilities have been transferred to Somali institutions and other UN agencies, ending more than three decades of international involvement in peacebuilding, governance and reconciliation. Guterres warned that Al-Shabaab remains a significant security threat. In Kenya, several attacks linked to the group have been reported in Mandera County, and insecurity continues to complicate plans to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border.