Several international contingents have already extracted their troops in war torn Somalia. The Sierra Leone trooped were block by the African Union to neither withdraw nor add any troops due to fear of possible Ebola virus infection.
850 combatants were sent by Sierra Leone to help pacify the ongoing tension in Somalia. The troops were sign for a 12-month tour of duty to fight the al-Qaeda linked rebel group, al-Shabab, early in 2013.
The whole rotation of the troops was suddenly put on hold after one of the 800 troops put on quarantine was tested positive for Ebola. The 800 strong contingents were waiting to replace their comrades in Somalia but are right now currently waiting for instructions since orders for deployment were put on hold.
Maman Siduo, African Union's special representative for Somalia told reporters that the soldier could have stayed and wanted to stay but the thinking have changed due to the current outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have clearly stated last August that no additional troops will be deployed from Sierra Leone after civil activists and social media campaign by Somali's have intensified regarding the call to stop the sending of troops.
There are more than 22,000 African Union troops presently deployed in Somalia. The contingent is composed of different troops from Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Nigeria, Burundi and Ghana. The departing troops will be substituted by troops from other countries with deployed troops already in Somalia. The African Union stated that they are willing to send troops back in Somalia one the outbreak or the virus has been fully contained if not stopped.
It was reported that the Sierra Leone troops will depart Somalia early Jan next year.
The Ebola outbreak is considered to be one of the worst to ever hit mankind in history. The outbreak has already claimed more than 7,300 just this year alone and the absence of a treatment means that the number will keep on rising. In Sierra Leone alone, more than 2,470 deaths have been recorded.
