US military committed to the elimination of ISIS and Al-Shabaab - AFRICOM 

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The US Africa Command has reinforced its commitment towards the elimination of both the Al-Shabaab and ISIS militants from the Horn of Africa. This move informed Gen. Dagvin Anderson's trip to the region, including the recent visit to Ethiopia, Puntland, and Somaliland.

To reaffirm the US commitment to haOn Monday, Anderson said the US supports “maximum pressure” on ISIS, al-Shabaab, and other violent extremist organizations. ndling Somalia based on the single Somalia policy, Gen. Dagvin Anderson rightly stated that Puntland and Somaliland are member states of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

On Monday, Anderson said the US supports “maximum pressure” on ISIS, al-Shabaab, and other violent extremist organizations. While ISIS terrorists are limited to the Bari region in Somalia, the Al-Shabaab group has a strong presence in the central and southern regions.

The trip aligned with President Trump’s priorities and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s guidance is part of a renewed push to reinforce Washington’s commitment to counterterrorism operations across the continent, with an emphasis on protecting the U.S. homeland.

“The whole reason I came here is that we have shared threats,” Anderson said. “I’m not new to this region; I understand what the issues are, and we’re here to help empower our African partners to address these threats in a united way,” the statement reads.

During his trip, Anderson met with government leaders to advance what AFRICOM described as a “laser-focused” approach to confronting terrorism through burden sharing, deeper cooperation, and aligned security priorities.

At Addis Ababa, Anderson met Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Chief of Defense, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula Gelelcha, to discuss the growing threat posed by ISIS and al-Shabaab. Ethiopia is a major security stakeholder in Somalia.

In Hargeisa, the regional administrative capital of Somaliland, Anderson met with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, Brig. Gen. Niman Yusuf Osman, chief of general staff of the Somaliland Armed Forces, and Adm. Ahmed Hurre Hariye, commander of the Somaliland Coast Guard.

He also traveled to the port city of Berbera to assess the security environment and review the port’s operational capacity. In Puntland, Anderson’s final stop, he met with Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor, Gen. Adan Abdi Hashi, chief of the Puntland Defense Forces, and other senior officials to accelerate efforts against terrorism.

The US General praised Puntland’s ongoing maximum-pressure campaign against ISIS in the Golis Mountains, commending progress but stressing the need to intensify operations.

Anderson reiterated that countering extremist groups is a shared responsibility and that no single nation can confront these threats alone. He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to backing African partner forces that are registering measurable gains.

GAROWE ONLINE