Somalia is worried about a U.S. troop pullout
An elite American-trained commando force that is usually deployed to counter Somalia’s Qaeda-linked group Al Shabab could fall apart if President Trump withdraws U.S. troops from Somalia, as expected.
Following the Pentagon’s announcement on Tuesday that the U.S. will reduce its military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, the acting defense secretary is expected to approve plans to remove most, if not all, of the more than 700 American troops in Somalia.
Context: The U.S. military presence has been heavily focused on training, equipping and supporting the elite 850-soldier Somali unit. The plan would be to shift duties to U.S. forces in Djibouti and Kenya, allowing those stations to carry out strikes against the Shabab.
The New York Times