New African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) force commander Lt Gen. Andrew Gutti (right) takes the African Union flag while his predecessor Maj. Gen Fred Mugisha salutes during a ceremony 02 May 2012, to mark the handover of leadership of the 11,400-strong AU force. Mugisha commanded AMISOM since early August 2011, during which time sustained efforts by AMISOM troops supporting Transitional Federal Governemnt (TFG) forces pushed the Al Qaeda-aligned extremist group Al Shabaab out of the country's capital city for the first time in 5 years. AU-UN IST PHOTO / STUART PRICE.