Sunday January 3, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Roble Sunday visited the US-run military base in Lower Shabelle region ahead of American troops withdrawal from the country.
The PM who was accompanied by Somali National Army Chief of Staff General Odowaa Rage arrived at Bali-dogle base in Lower Shabelle region Sunday morning.
Sources said the PM went to bid bye the troops ahead of their exit from Somalia on January 20. The outgoing Trump administration ordered the withdrawal of US troops from Somalia in November.
Pentagon said the troops will be based in neighboring Kenya and Djibouti.
The US maintains about 800 troops in Somalia who have been training the Danab elite squad and supporting Somali forces on ground operations against the militant group Al-Shabaab.
Security analysts have cautioned against the withdrawal of US forces in Somalia warning it would create fertile ground from resurgence of the militant group Al-Shabaab especially in areas which they had been pushed out.
The influential US news outlet The Wall Street Journal termed the removal of the forces this week a ‘hasty decision’ and that it could jeorpadise US interests in the region.