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NEW: @realDonaldTrump orders "majority of personnel & assets out of #Somalia by early 2021"
"Some forces may be reassigned outside of East #Africa" per @DeptofDefense "Remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries" to allow for cross-border ops
"Some forces may be reassigned outside of East #Africa" per @DeptofDefense "Remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries" to allow for cross-border ops
"The US is not withdrawing or disengaging" per @DeptofDefense statement "We will continue to degrade violent extremist organizations that could threaten our homeland while ensuring we maintain our strategic advantage in great power competition"
US troop withdrawal from #Somalia "is a surrender to #alQaida & a gift to #China" per @JimLangevin, chair of @HASCDemocrats subcommittee on Intelligence & Emerging Threats
Per the latest report from the @DoD_IG on US ops in #Africa, there are 650-800 US troops in #Somalia, part of the about 5,100 personnel stationed in #Africa
. @realDonaldTrump's order to withdraw/reposition most of the 650-800 US troops in #Somalia comes a little more than a week after the @DoD_IG warned, “The terrorist threat in East Africa is not degraded” including the threat from #alQaida-linked #alShabaab https://www.voanews.com/africa/terror-threats-across-africa-not-degraded
Per US defense & intelligence officials, #alShabaab has as many as 10,000 fighters and ambitions to flex its growing capabilities
#Shabaab "has demonstrated an ability & intent to attack outside of the country, including targeting US interests" in places like #Kenya, per @DoD_IG
#Shabaab "has demonstrated an ability & intent to attack outside of the country, including targeting US interests" in places like #Kenya, per @DoD_IG
The @DoD_IG report also warned #Somalia's own forces are not yet up to the task of containing #AlShabaab https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1331625312275324935?s=20
Some analysts see @realDonaldTrump's order to reposition US forces from #Somalia as a green-light of sorts to #AlShabaab
" #Shabaab is waging jihad to create a #Taliban-style Islamic Emirate" per @FDD's @thomasjoscelyn, calling it " #alQaida's goal in #Somalia all along"
"The pending [US] withdrawal will undoubtedly benefit the jihadists" he says
"The pending [US] withdrawal will undoubtedly benefit the jihadists" he says
NEW: @USAfricaCommand says US "not withdrawing from East #Africa" re @realDonaldTrump's Somalia order
"Our presence in #Somalia will decrease significantly but US forces will remain in the region & our tasks & commitment to partners remain unchanged" per Gen Stephen Townsend
"Our presence in #Somalia will decrease significantly but US forces will remain in the region & our tasks & commitment to partners remain unchanged" per Gen Stephen Townsend
"The US remains committed to our work in East #Africa & #Somalia, to include building & maintaining regional security, continuing to observe & intensify pressure on #AlQaida's franchise #alShabaab & advancing mutual interests" per @USAfricaCommand's Twonsend
"We have demonstrated an ability to respond rapidly in any region when a need arises-that remains unchanged" per @USAfricaCommand Cmdr Gen Townsend on @POTUS order re #Somalia "This action is not a withdrawal & an end to our efforts but a reposition to continue our efforts"
