The United Kingdom (UK) is set to deploy 250 troops to Somalia in the next twelve months as part of an agreement to aid in the fight against al Qaeda-Affiliated al Shabaab. The deployment to the Horn of Africa nation is in support of the UK’s partners in East Africa.
Military sources confirmed that the deployed troops will train Somalia’s Special Forces in counter-insurgency tactics to allow them to take on Al-Shabaab.
The deployment is a welcome boost to the security apparatus in Somalia which suffered a major setback after the Trump Administration ordered the withdrawal of the US troops.
The UK is also supporting Somalia to strengthen its security institutions and governance and transferred in March 2020 a military barracks that can house up to 450 Somali troops, and acts as the military headquarters for the 8th Brigade in South West State.
The British army has more than 50 personnel based in Somalia and recently trained 500 Somali soldiers in basic infantry skills.
