The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued an order for the US Troops who are currently fighting the al-Shabaab Military group in Somali to be withdrawn. Trump said that this war seems not to end.
In a statement, the pentagon said “Trump has ordered the department and the united states Africa command to reposition the majority of the personnel and asset out of Somalia by early 2021.” Despite the concerns of removing the troops from several regions in the continent, the department of defence has emphasized that the US was “not withdrawing from Africa.”
“We will continue to degrade violent extremist organizations that could threaten our homeland while ensuring we maintain our strategic advantage in great power competition.”
From the early 2000s, the Us Military has been fighting the Al-Shabaab. They managed to kill 100’s them in convectional aircraft. Seven Hundred military were not withdrawn by the US Africa Command. They will continue attacking the Al-Shabaab and also training the Somali Forces.
The US have military sustained some injuries, and besides their CIA officer passed away in late November. Chris Miller who is the acting Defense secretary paid a visit to Somalia whereby he “reaffirmed US resolve in seeing the degradation of a violent extremist organization that threatens US interests, partners, and allies in the region.”
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, on Wednesday, confirmed that the Defense Department was reviewing the size of its posture in Somalia. He stated “We understand that Al-Shabaab in the lower river Jubba is a threat.
We know that it’s an organized, capable terrorist organization. It’s an extension of Al-Qaeda, just like ISIS was.” He referred to the US presence as somehow small, “relatively low cost in terms of the numbers of personnel and terms of money.” Besides, he said, “But it’s also high risk.” He, also, said that if the US will not cope with the population of the Al-Shabaab, they might attack US interests outside the region of Africa.
An expert on Islamic extremist group at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies think-tank, Thomas Joscelyn, “Most people probably don’t know what the small force has been doing, but they’ve helped prevent Shabaab-a prolific branch of Al-Qaeda-from forming an Islamic Emirate and disrupted terrorist operation.” He tweeted that the al-Shabaab main agenda “Is to create an Islamic Emirate in Somalia and export jihad throughout the region.” “The group has also experimented with the sophisticated explosives to attack airplanes and international plotting can’t be ruled out.”
As a way of honouring his pledge that Trump made in the 2016 elections of winding down Us military engagements abroad, he made this order. He gave an order for the US troops to be reduced by mid-January in Afghanistan and Iraq to 2,500 in both places.
According to the Pentagon, the troops will be sent to Kenya and Djibouti, to enable cross-border operation against extremist and partner forces. “The US will retain the capability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operation in Somalia, and collect early warnings and indicators regarding threats to the homeland,”
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