U.S. Army soldiers stand at an observation post during the African Lion military exercise in the Tan-Tan region of southwestern Morocco on June 18, 2021.
Fadel Sena | AFP | Getty Images
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has approved a plan to relocate US troops to Somalia, repealing former President Donald Trump’s order to withdraw US troops by January 2021.
A senior administration official, who declined to be named to discuss White House thinking, said the move comes after evolving intelligence, which suggests the al-Shabab extremist group may soon pose a greater threat to the region.
“Al-Shabab is taking advantage of Somalia’s instability and capricious policies to become, as I said, Al Qaeda’s largest and richest global affiliate,” the official told reporters. “Unfortunately, we have seen clear evidence of al-Shabab’s intention and ability to target Americans in the region,” the official added.
A senior administration official said US troops already stationed abroad would move to Somalia. Under pressure, the official said less than 500 U.S. ground forces would move to the war-torn country.
The New York Times, which first reported the move, quoted unnamed officials as saying several hundred troops would be deployed. The Times also reported that Biden signed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s proposal earlier this month.
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In 2020, Trump ordered the withdrawal of approximately 750 U.S. troops from Somalia by January 2021.
National Security spokesman Adrienne Watson told CNBC that U.S. military personnel had entered and left the country sporadically following Trump’s decision to withdraw troops.
“The decision to reintroduce a permanent presence was made to maximize the security and effectiveness of our forces and enable them to provide more effective support to our partners,” Watson added.
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