Somalilandsun : The Pentagon may add troops in Somalia to control the growing al-Shabaab terrorist organization, the head of U.S. Africa Command told senators Tuesday.
In the final weeks of his presidency, President Donald Trump ordered “the majority” of American troops to leave Somalia, sending some members of the U.S. military to neighboring countries, including Kenya and Djibouti, and continue their counterterrorism mission from outside the country.
Gen. Stephen Townsend said that al-Shabaab, an Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in eastern Africa, is “among the world’s fastest-growing, wealthiest, and deadliest terrorist groups” that poses a threat to Americans, and that a U.S military presence relegated to neighboring countries is insufficient to combat it.
It’s “not effective” to try to deter terrorists there from bases in neighboring countries, U.S. Africa Command leader says.
My view is that our periodic engagement, also referred to as commuting to work, has caused new challenges and risks for our troops,” Townsend said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. “My assessment is that it is not effective, it’s not efficient, and it puts our troops at greater risk.”
Townsend said he’s provided advice to his chain of command that is still being considered. He declined to go into more detail in the open portion of the hearing, saying that he’d “like to give them space to make that decision.” read more HERE
