The new commander of U.S. Africa Command Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, visited Somalia on Wednesday 7th August 2019 where he pledged more pledge on Islamists groups, Al-Shabaab and ISIS Somalia.
This was Townsend first trip to the African continent since he took charge of AFRICOM July 26.
He met with Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and U.S envoy Ambassador Donald Yamamoto in the capital city of Mogadishu. Also, senior Somali military leadership was in attendance.
Townsend was briefed on security situation in various regions of Somalia. His trip was to assess the situation and reinforce AFRICOM’s commitments to the region’s security.
He underscored the importance of Somali forces to working together with U.S. and AU troops so as to mount pressure on violent extremist organizations. He noted pressure creates conditions and opportunity for further political and economic development once the enemy is defeated.
Townsend said that Somali forces must keep pushing al-Shabab out of the remaining areas they hold to free Somali people living there, and that degrading the terrorist group’s threat supports the interests of both Somalia and the United States.
He pledged U.S. commitment in degrading the capability of the terrorists who operate in Somalia in an effort to make the entire region safer and prevents its export to other places .
U.S. Air Force has conducted a number of precision airstrikes against the terrorist groups in Somalia. In the first seven months of 2019, U.S. has conducted 47 airstrikes. The 47th airstrike was carried on July 27 to targeting Islamic State militants in the Golis Mountain region, which is a reputed terrorist hotbed.
As part of its support, AFRICOM is training a Somali military Special Forces called the Danab, a specially-trained unit of the Somali Security Forces that focuses on fighting al-Shabab and ISIS-Somalia.
Townsend met with U.S. units training the Danab, and commended the job they are doing.
