• Our USPP Store
  • Services
  • Advertise
  • About
    • About Military Africa
    • Our Amazing Team
    • Contact
    • Policies
      • Retraction and Correction policy and fee
      • Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Document
      • Disclaimer
      • Cookies Policy
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Refund Policy for Military Africa
      • Privacy Policy
      • Advertising Policies
  • SUPPORT MILITARY AFRICA
Military Africa
  • Domains
    • Aerospace
    • Land
    • Naval
    • Industry
    • Security
    • Unmanned systems
    • Technology
  • iNSIGHTResources
  • Magazines
  • Events
  • Press Release
  • Whitepaper | Technology Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Domains
    • Aerospace
    • Land
    • Naval
    • Industry
    • Security
    • Unmanned systems
    • Technology
  • iNSIGHTResources
  • Magazines
  • Events
  • Press Release
  • Whitepaper | Technology Reports
No Result
View All Result
Military Africa
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Security

US plans sending special forces back to Somalia

Patrick Kenyette by Patrick Kenyette
May 18, 2022
in Security
Reading Time: 2 mins read
ADVERTISEMENT

United States President Joe Biden has authorized the deployment of hundreds of Special Operations forces inside Somalia.

The authorization largely reverses the decision by President Donald J. Trump to withdraw nearly all 700 ground troops who had been stationed there by January last year.

The size of that force will number fewer than 500, down from the approximately 750 personnel removed from the country.

President Biden’s decision to send the SpeOps troops comes amid increasing intelligence that al-Shabab, the Somali terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda, is increasingly posing a threat in the region. The decision also came a day after Somali lawmakers elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the country’s new president.

ADVERTISEMENT

Biden also granted the Pentagon “standing authority to target about a dozen suspected leaders” of al-Shabab, a senior administration official told members of the press May 16 that al-Shabab posed a danger to the American homeland and to U.S. interests in East Africa.

ADVERTISEMENT

In January, former President Donald Trump ordered some 700 U.S. troops out of Somalia, where special operations forces had been assisting local units for several years in a long-running battle against the al-Shabab group.

Despite withdrawal from Somalia, US military forces still assist Somali and African Union forces in a noncombat role including flying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions from Baledogle Airfield northwest of the capital.

In September 2021, United States African Command (AFRICOM) delivered six Puma M36 Mk 6 armoured vehicles to complement Somali security forces in the fight against al-Shabaab.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the May 16 news conference, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirmed that a “small, persistent” US military presence would be returning to Somalia to continue to train, advise, and equip partner forces in their fight against al-Shabab. Kirby emphasized that US service members will not be involved in combat operations.

“This is a repositioning of forces that are already in theater, who have traveled in and out of Somalia now on an episodic basis since January of 2021,” Kirby said. “It will be a moderate presence and the work that they’re doing will be specific to the threat.”

Recommended for you

Tags: AFRICOMSomaliaSpecial ForceUnited States
ADVERTISEMENT
DMCA.com Protection Status
ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter
No Result
View All Result
  • Domains
    • Aerospace
    • Land
    • Naval
    • Industry
    • Security
    • Unmanned systems
    • Technology
  • iNSIGHT
  • Magazines
  • Events
  • Press Release
  • Whitepaper | Technology Reports

© 2025 Military Africa