The outgoing president of the United States multiplies the announcements to keep his promise to “Put an end to endless wars”. Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of the ” majority “ US troops from Somalia by early 2021, that is, just before his own departure from power, the Pentagon announced on Friday (December 4th).
“Some of the forces may be redeployed outside East Africa. However, the rest of the forces will be repositioned from Somalia to neighboring countries to allow cross-border operations by the United States and partner forces, to keep the pressure on violent extremist organizations ”the US Department of Defense said in a statement.
Some 700 US special forces soldiers train and advise the Somali army in the Horn of Africa country against the Chabab jihadists, affiliated with Al-Qaida.
“The United States is not withdrawing or withdrawing from Africa”, assured the Pentagon. “We will continue to weaken the violent extremist organizations that may threaten our territory”, he added, promising to “Maintain the capacity to conduct targeted counter-terrorist operations in Somalia”. Washington is also committed to continuing its intelligence activities there.
American disengagement
These announcements respond to Donald Trump’s desire to disengage the US military from its main theaters of foreign operations and “End endless wars” of America, in unison with much of public opinion.
Since Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the November presidential election, the Republican president, although he has still not admitted defeat, has been trying to speed up the withdrawal of several countries, notably from Afghanistan and Iraq, before the handover of power on January 20. He intends to leave his successor only 2,500 soldiers in each of these two countries.
The future president also made it known that he was in favor of the end of the “Eternal wars”, and could therefore confirm these withdrawals in order to maintain only small units of special forces in charge of counter-terrorist operations.
In Somalia, the announced redeployment “Is a good decision”, who “Seems to allow a shift from a broad effort to fight on behalf of the Somali government against the Shabab to a more targeted counterterrorism mission”, said the think tank close to the left Defense priorities. US military interventions in Somalia for several years “Show that staying until there are no more potential terrorists on the ground would mean never leaving”, she added.
The Chabab remain a significant threat in Somalia and in the region, as the Inspector General of the Pentagon further affirmed in a very recent report. The group “Continues to adapt, to resist, and remains able to attack Western interests and their partners in Somalia and East Africa”, he noted. The American Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, himself admitted on Wednesday that the Chababs remained ” a threat “ to be in front “Supervised”.
