MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has arrived in Washington DC., where he will hold bilateral talks with top U.S. officials.
According to a statement by US defense Department, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will today host Sheikh Mohamud, the president of Somalia at the Pentagon.
“You may recall that in May 2022, at the request and coordination of the government of Somalia and at the direction of President Biden, U.S. Africa Command returned a small, persistent U.S. military presence to Somalia to train and advise partner forces to degrade Al-Shabaab,” the statement reads in part. “This reestablished U.S. presence and support from our partners and allies and multilateral efforts stand as straw — as a strong signal as our — as of — our continued commitment to Somalia and the region more broadly.”
Somali government is planning to launch the second phase of the operations to liberate the country from al-Shabaab.
In April, President Mohamud said his government won the operations against al-Shabaab fighters in south-central Somalia.
Somali forces backed by the local clan militias have captured three al-Shabaab stronghold towns in central Somalia after the group vacated the towns without a fight.
The towns seized by the forces are Harardhere, Gal’ad and Eldhere.
Mohamud noted that his government prepared forces to liberate southern regions from Al-Shabaab fighters.
Al-Shabaab controls large swathes of territory in Bay, Bakool, Lower Shabelle, Gedo, Lower and Middle Jubba regions in southern Somalia.
The President called on Somali people to work with the government in war against al-Shabaab.
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