President Mohamud Welcomes New U.S. Ambassador Amid Al-Shabab Advances in Central Somalia

Mogadishu (AX) – On Friday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, Richard H. Riley, at Mogadishu’s airport.

Ambassador Riley expressed gratitude to the Somali government for the hearty reception and outlined his intentions to bolster diplomatic ties and collaboration between the two nations. He also conveyed greetings and a message from U.S. President Joe Biden.

Alongside Ambassador Riley, President Mohamud engaged with General Michael E. Langley, head of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), to deliberate on Somalia-U.S. strategic security partnerships and combined efforts against terrorism.

The introduction of Ambassador Riley occurs amidst reports suggesting that al-Shabab has undone all advancements made by the Somali National Army in central Somalia over the past couple of years and is now allying with Houthi militants to boost its strength.

Anonymous senior U.S. defense officials indicated that the Somali National Army’s previous campaign in central Somalia had cornered al-Shabab “significantly” over the past two years. “However, in the last six months, al-Shabab has reversed all those gains,” an official remarked.

For years, Somalia has grappled with chronic instability, with major threats coming from al-Shabab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups.