U.S. troops to leave Somalia but remain in East Africa
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A statement from Gen. Stephen Townsend (L) said that although U.S. troops will leave Somalia, they will deploy elsewhere in East Africa. Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy in Somalia
Dec. 21 (UPI) Although U.S. troops are leaving Somalia, they will be deployed elsewhere in East Africa, the U.S. Africa Command leader said.
The Pentagon announced Dec. 4 that, under orders from President Donald Trump, U.S. personnel and assets will be removed from Somalia by early 2021.
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The troops are involved in combating the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabab, training local forces and protecting Baledogle Airfield in southern Somalia.
AFRICOM Sends Warning to Al-Shabaab as US Troops Begin Withdrawing from Somalia
In this Feb. 13, 2012 file photo, an armed member of the militant group al-Shabab attends a rally in support of the merger of the Somali militant group al-Shabab with al-Qaida, on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Somalia. U.S. military forces targeted the Islamic extremist al-Shabab network in an operation, Sept. 1, 2014 in Somalia, the Pentagon said. (AP Photo/File)
21 Dec 2020
The U.S. announced a plan over the weekend to begin withdrawing the estimated 800 American troops from Somalia by early January, but it came with a warning to the al-Shabaab insurgent group: They should not test us.
USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Dec. 21, 2020
December 21, 2020 11:49 AM
USNI News Graphic
These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Dec. 21, 2020, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.
Total U.S. Navy Battle Force:
297
In Japan
A P-8A Poseidon, assigned to the ‘Fighting Tigers’ of Patrol Squadron (VP) 8, taxis into position to standby for snow flight operations at Naval Air Facility (NAF) Misawa, Japan on Dec. 17, 2020. US Navy Photo
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US Withdrawing Forces From Somalia In Line With Donald Trump s Order: Pentagon
The US forces in Somalia have begun withdrawing from the country in line with Trump s order earlier this month to reposition troops from East African nation.
The US forces in Somalia have begun withdrawing from the country in line with President Donald Trump s order earlier this month to reposition the majority of the troops from the East African nation. According to Pentagon, there is currently 700 American personnel serving in Somalia and helping local forces battle al-Shabab and the Islamic State. I directed the activation of a joint task force, JTF-Quartz, built around the headquarters of US Africa Command, to oversee Operation Octave Quartz, the directed re-positioning of US forces from Somalia to other bases in East Africa, US Army General Stephen Townsed, the commander of Africa Command said in a statement.
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