Biden dispatches top officials to Somalia to push for the fight against Al-Shabaab

U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend speaks to Somali security forces Aug 7, 2019. [Photo: US mission to Somalia]

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden has dispatched senior officials to Somalia in a move geared towards boosting the fight against Al-Shabaab militants, who still control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

White House said in a statement that Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall, USAFRICOM Commander General Stephen Townsend, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Chris Maier visited Somalia, Djibouti, and Kenya this past week.

"The trip focused on advancing the Biden Administration’s counterterrorism policy in an evolving threat landscape: prioritizing the most dangerous and ascendant threats; empowering local partners to prevent and counter-terrorist threats within their own borders; and working multilaterally with regional and international allies and partners to pursue our broader security, governance, and development goals across the region," White House said.

The US withdrew from Somalia earlier this year but it has been very keen to support local troops in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants. In the past few months, Al-Shabaab has been targeting security forces and innocent civilians within the Horn of Africa nation.

"In East Africa, Dr. Sherwood-Randall, General Townsend, and Mr. Maier met with U.S. forces in Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya who are responsible for executing the counterterrorism campaign against al-Shabaab in conjunction with local and regional partners," the statement added.

The trip also came at the time the US vowed to review the support towards Danab Special Forces following claims that the special troops participated in the fight against Sufi militia Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama'a [ASWJ] which left over 120 people dead.

Early this year, the US pledged to resend troops back to the Horn of Africa nation but it's yet to give a clear guideline on how this will be done. Washington had close to 700 soldiers in Somalia who have since been repositioned to Kenya and Djibouti.

GAROWE ONLINE