US Army patrol in Somalia, December 2019. (Nick Kibbey/U.S. Air Force)
Antiwar.com reports…
The US military is reporting this weekend that its previously announced pullout from Somalia is completed, with the last troops sent to Kenya and Djibouti. This keeps them in roughly the same part of Africa.
Donald Trump Has Withdrawn US Troops From Somalia!!! Yea!!! https://t.co/1Ag3re4gZy
— Cynthia McKinney PhD (@cynthiamckinney) January 18, 2021
All told, this was about 700 troops removed from Somalia. The Trump Administration returned troops to Somalia for the first time in decades, citing the need to support the Somali transitional government.
Ground troops took part in training, while the US launched multiple airstrikes into Somalia. Airstrikes have continued since the pullout began, with officials saying it proved their ongoing commitment to the country.
Continuing airstrikes without a ground presence is dicey, as it reduces US forces’ ability to gather intelligence on what they are striking. So far, that doesn’t seem to be limiting the US desire to keep striking, but civilian casualties could lead to blowback.
READ MORE AFRICA NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Africa Files
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR WINTER FUNDRAISING DRIVE HERE
