MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – The government of United States has dispelled media reports claiming the US will reduce its military operations in Somalia.
According to VOA, Pentagon spokeswoman Navy Commander Candice Tresch said the U.S. Defense Department has not yet changed its policy to fight al-Shabaab in Somalia.
“There have been no recent policy changes regarding U.S. operations in Somalia. We continue to support the Federal Government of Somalia’s efforts to degrade al-Shabaab,” Tresch said.
The development comes hours after NBC News reported Friday that the U.S. is planning to scale back its operations in Somalia because U.S. airstrikes have “taken out” a number of the militant group’s senior operatives.
The Pentagon says “the U.S. conducted 47 precision airstrikes in 2018 against al-Shabaab fighters.”
The US conducted nearly 100 airstrikes against al-Shabaab since 2016, targeting senior officials, mid-level operatives, foot soldiers.
In 2017, the U.S. conducted 35 air strikes and in 2016, conducted 15 air strikes. The first U.S.-led air strike of 2019 occurred Jan. 2 to diminish al-Shabaab’s freedom of movement and to increase pressure on the terrorist network in the area.”
U.S. military officials say there are an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 al-Shabaab fighters and 70 to 250 ISIS-Somalia fighters in Somalia as of August 2018.
There are about 500 U.S. Department of Defense personnel in Somalia.
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