US to resume counter-terrorism operations in Somalia

U.S. forces host a range day with the Danab Brigade in Somalia, May 9, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Russell)

MOGADISHU, Somalia - President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will wholeheartedly welcome the US Africa Command airstrikes against Al-Shabaab militants, it has now emerged, following his decision to welcome the redeployment of the American troops to the Horn of Africa nation.

Mohamud, who took over from Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on Monday, already welcomed the move to have close to 500 US soldiers in the country, over a year after their unceremonious exit. The soldiers were withdrawn by former President Donald Trump.

Mark Goldberg, in his detailed Global Dispatches podcast, discussed with veteran Voice of America journalist Harun Maruf about the current situation in the voice, with the security expert opining that the airstrikes will now resume in full force.

"The airstrikes never stopped officially, but they have subsided since President Biden came to power. During the time of President Trump, there was a high number of airstrikes against al-Shabaab, but those airstrikes were targeting more of the foot soldiers on a low level of al-Shabaab operatives who are bringing explosives to the urban areas," he notes.

"This new president said that he wants to see more targeting of al-Shabaab leaders and presumably where he’s coming from is that since they are the decision-makers, they are going to feel the pressure and he wants them to feel that they are targeted in the same way that government officials, key civil society activists, and ordinary Somalis have been targeted by al-Shabaab for a long time."

Generally, the population has welcomed that the United States is going to send its forces back, primarily because Somalia is in the process of rebuilding its national army and the United States has been training an elite Somali unit called Danab, which means lightning, and they wanted that unit to become the brand for the rebuilding of the Somali army.

The US, he notes, believes this unit has been very effective in fighting al-Shabaab; most of the time they have not been involved in the political wrangling and the disputes between the clans and the politicians, and many Somalis believe this force can be the basis for the rebuilding of the future of Somalia. "And if Somalis want to restore security in their country, then they have to invest in security branches in particular."

Al-Shabaab militants have continued to wreak havoc in the country, targeting mostly security forces, senior government officials, and innocent civilians. In recent weeks, the militants had heightened their activities, even targeting various Forward Operating Bases.

For instance, almost a month ago, the Al-Shabaab attacked a base manned by the Burundian AU forces, leaving at least 30 them dead. Reports by Pentagon indicate the US still believes the Al-Shabaab group is " very dangerous" and can wage " small to large scale sporadic attacks" in the country.

The militants have also spread wings outside Somalia with Kenya being one of the major targets. The militants have been targeting Northeastern Kenya in Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa Counties where the Kenya Defense Forces have been battling against them.

In 2021, there were close to 10 airstrikes in Somalia against the Al-Shabaab group compared to a record 72 airstrikes in 2020 which left dozens of senior Al-Shabaab leaders dead. The aerial bombardments have been instrumental in the war against the Al-Shabaab group.

The US has also come up with quarterly civilian casualty reports which allow the US Africa Command to evaluate the impact on civilians. The latest report which was published a week ago indicates that there were no civilian deaths in the period under review according to experts who examined it.