Ebola fears halt rotations of Sierra Leone forces into Somalia

Sierra Leone, which is battling to contain the deadly Ebola virus, will stop new rotations of its U.N.-led forces into Somalia for now as authorities move to establish safeguards, Somalia’s president said on Monday. Sierra Leone is one of the key countries contributing troops to the Africa Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which is helping battle Islamic militant al Shabaab insurgents there. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking to reporters during the African leaders’ summit in Washington, said there would be no new rotations of Sierra Leone’s forces until proper procedures were in place. “AMISOM (will) stop the rotation of the Sierra Leone battalion so that new soldiers won’t arrive into Somalia unless we provide a means to ensure” that people arriving are unaffected, he said.