Somalia: Madobe meets top US generals as Al-Shabaab war gathers momentum

KISMAYO, Somalia - Jubaland's regional President Ahmed Madobe on Saturday held a closed-door meeting with top US military generals, as the war against Al-Shabaab gathers momentum in the Horn of Africa nation.

The United States has been a close security partner of Somalia for several years, with the US playing a vital role in flushing out the Al-Shabaab militants, who have wreaked havoc in Somalia, a country that has struggled with stability for several years.

Among those received by Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe Col Thomas Sarrouf, head of the counter-terrorism operations in Somalia. The commanders from US Africa Command [AFRICOM] visited Madobe at his office in Kismayo, about 500 Kms south of Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

Both sides discussed ways to intensify the war on Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda's East Africa ally that was suspended by Trump in January. At least 700 US Africa Command troops were withdrawn by Donald Trump in January 2021 amid the growing Al-Shabaab threat in Somalia.

US Africa Command troops were tasked with ensuring Somali National Army [SNA] and other allied forces through air surveillance. The team launched close to 50 airstrikes in 2020, killing hundreds of Al-Shabaab militants in the process.

President Joe Biden has since kick-started the process of redeploying troops back to Somalia, to help in fighting Al-Shabaab militants. Those who left were repositioned to Kenya and Djibouti, which are close allies of Washington.

Currently, there are close to 22, 000 AMISOM troops in Somalia, who are mandated to ensure peace and stability prevails. The troops are set to exit by the end of this year, but there are plans to extend their stay in the Horn of Africa nation.

The trip comes hours after the trip of Somalia's Chief of Defense Forces General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, who also held talks with Madobe. The Jubaland President is known for his fierce fight against Al-Shabaab militants.

GAROWE ONLINE