MOGADISHU, Somalia – The decision to relocate US African command troops from Somalia has affected the fight against al-Shabaab militants, the United States now admits in what could inform a new review of the movement, which was constructed by former President Donald Trump.
General Stephen Townsend, commander of the U.S. African Command, told the Senate on Thursday that the movement has created a lot of challenges, adding that the persecution of Al-Shabaab militants has become a bit difficult.
At least 700 troops serving in Somalia were relocated to Kenya and Djibouti following a decree signed by Trump. On January 15, just five days before handing over to Joe Biden, Trump had moved the troops.
“There is no denying that repositioning forces out of Somalia has introduced new layers of complexity and risk,” said Army Chief of Staff Stephen Townsend during a hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Our understanding of what is happening in Somalia is less now than it was when we were there on earth, physically located with our partners,” he told senators at a briefing to review the United States on Thursday.
In addition to training and equipping Somalia’s national army [SNA]were the commando troops of the American Africa were responsible for providing air assistance to combat troops. They launched air strikes that had significantly weakened the militants.
And despite the Al-Shabaab threat, Townsend now believes that political differences in Somalia could be the biggest challenge at the moment, given that it could destroy gains gained by the SNA and other partners in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants.
“Al-Shabab is not the biggest concern in Somalia now, but rather” the political dysfunction that exists between the federal government of Somalia and the federal member states … the extra-constitutional extension of the president’s term of office – that is our biggest challenge, ” he added.
The House of Commons extended President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s term for a further two years in a resolution that has attracted international retaliation. The international partners among them The African Union now wants immediate dialogue to end the dead gas, which Townsend believes will make room for the Al-Shabaab resurgence.
Al-Shabaab is said to be regrouping in various parts of the country and has led attacks on government troops, particularly in Lower Shebelle, where the Americans have established the base. The government had opposed the withdrawal of US troops from Somalia.
Elsewhere, in the last three days, the Northeastern State court in Galkayo handed down death sentences to eight Al-Shabab assassins behind a series of murders between 2008-2021. Northeastern State is one of the most stable states in Somalia in terms of security.
In an interview with the Voice of America Somali service, the governor of the Mudug region Abdilatif Muse Nur said that 16 others convicted of terrorism are on trial. Al-Shabaab’s activities in the state have been minimal, and recently Northeastern State and Galmadug signed an agreement to mitigate the Al-Shabaab threat.
AXADLETM.
