President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of most US military and security personnel from Somalia, where they have been conducting operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group, the Pentagon said Friday.

Trump "has ordered the Department of Defense and the United States Africa Command to reposition the majority of personnel and assets out of Somalia by early 2021," it said in a statement.

The Defense Department stressed the United States was "not withdrawing or disengaging from Africa," amid concerns of a pullback from various areas in the continent.

"We will continue to degrade violent extremist organizations that could threaten our homeland while ensuring we maintain our strategic advantage in great power competition," it said.

The US Africa Command has maintained some 700 troops, personnel from other US security operations, and private security contractors in Somalia, both conducting attacks on Al-Shabaab and training Somali forces.

The US personnel have sustained some casualties, including the death of a CIA officer in late November.

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller visited Somalia a week ago, where he "reaffirmed US resolve in seeing the degradation of violent extremist organizations that threaten US interests, partners, and allies in the region," the Pentagon said.

The move came as Trump has sought to wind down US military engagements abroad in his final weeks in office.

He ordered US troop levels to be slashed by mid-January in Afghanistan and Iraq, to 2,500 troops in both cases.

The Pentagon said Friday that some of the personnel being pulled out of Somalia will be reassigned to neighboring countries to allow cross-border operations against extremist groups in conjunction with partner forces.

"The US will retain the capability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operations in Somalia, and collect early warnings and indicators regarding threats to the homeland," it said.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Pygmies, soldier killed in clashes over DR Congo park
Bukavu, Dr Congo (AFP) Dec 2, 2020
Three Pygmies and a soldier were killed in clashes near DR Congo's Kahuzi-Biega National Park, military sources and local officials said Wednesday, as calls grow for protection of the country's indigenous peoples. The national park, which celebrated its 50th anniversary on Monday, is a haven for critically endangered gorillas but faces an emerging threat from a conflict between rangers and local Pygmies, who claim they were robbed of ancestral lands when the park was extended in the 1970s. The c ... read more