Addis Ababa, Safar 14, 1438, November 14, 2016, SPA -- The African Union mission in Somalia wants to increase its troop strength by 4,000 to 26,000, an Ethiopian state-affiliated radio station reported Monday, according to dpa. The mission called on troop-contributing countries to send an additional 4,000 soldiers for six months following a meeting of their army chiefs in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Friday, Fana Broadcasting Corporate said. The meeting reviewed the progress made in providing security during the ongoing electoral process in Somalia, where electoral colleges started electing members of parliament on November 5, and the operational effectiveness in the fight against al-Shabaab. The African Union has had troops in Somalia since 2007 to help the government fight the militant group. Up to 4,000 more troops are needed for a maximum period of six months "to conduct offensive operations," Fana quoted an AU statement as saying. Chiefs of defence forces from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as a defence representative from Uganda, attended the meeting. --SPA 12:36 LOCAL TIME 09:36 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w269040