After Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump withdraws US troops from Somalia

Defence Redefined

05/12/2020

Outgoing US President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of “the majority” of US troops from Somalia “by early 2021”, shortly before he leaves power, while he has already announced the acceleration of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq in order to honor his commitment to “end the wars without end”.

Trump has decided to “move most of the US personnel and military equipment out of Somalia by early 2021,” the Pentagon said Friday. “Some of the forces can be deployed outside East Africa. However, the rest of the forces will be transferred from Somalia to neighboring countries so that cross-border operations can be carried out by the US and its allies to maintain pressure on violent, extremist organizations,” the announcement pointed out.

Some 700 US special forces troops are training and advising the Somali army in this impoverished country in the Horn of Africa where clashes are raging with al-Shabaab jihadists who have declared allegiance to al-Qaeda. “The United States is not withdrawing or disengaging from Africa,” the Pentagon said. “We will continue to weaken extremist, violent organizations that could threaten our territory,” it was stated, while pledging to “maintain its ability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operations in Somalia.”

“Endless Wars”

This announcement allows Donald Trump to remain true to his commitment to “end the endless wars” in which the United States is involved, something that much of American public opinion wants. Following the victory of the Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the November 3 presidential election, Trump is trying to accelerate the withdrawal of American troops from many countries, especially Afghanistan and Iraq, before the end of his term on January 19.

He plans to leave a total of 5,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The newly elected president has also stated that he is in favor of ending “eternal wars” and therefore may not change his predecessor’s decision. In Somalia, the relocation of US forces “is a right decision” which “seems to allow the US to move from a huge operation aimed at fighting the Shebab government in the name of the Somali government to a more targeted counterterrorism mission,” estimated the think tank Defense Priorities.

“The US intervention in Somalia in recent years” shows that staying (US troops) in the country until there are no terrorists means that they will never leave,” he added. The Shebab remain a major threat, the Pentagon’s inspector general confirmed in a recent report.

US Army General Staff Chief, Mark Miley, acknowledged Wednesday that the Shebab remain “a threat” that must be “monitored.”

Somalis are worried

However, Trump’s decision has caused concern among some Somalis who have called on the outgoing US president to reconsider. “The decision by the United States to withdraw its troops from Somalia at this critical juncture in the successful fight against the Shebab and their global terrorist network is extremely sad,” said Senator Ayub Ismail Youssef.

“US troops have made a significant contribution to the training and operational efficiency of Somali soldiers,” he said, himself as a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Somalia’s internationally-recognized fragile government is expected to hold parliamentary elections this month and national elections in early February. US troops in Somalia are mainly supporting the army’s special forces, also known as the Danab, in their operations against the Shebab.

If the withdrawal of US forces is permanent, “it will have a huge impact on counterterrorism efforts,” said Colonel Ahmed Abdullahi Sheikh, who served three years until 2019 as commander of the Danab. US airstrikes are likely to continue against Shebab targets in Somalia from their bases in neighboring Kenya and Djibouti, and cross-border military operations are not ruled out.

Also read: At least 66 killed in fights taking place in central Somalia