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US increases military support for Somalia against Al Shabab

President Mohamud’s government declared ‘total war’ last year on the thousands of extremists

The United States is increasing its military assistance to Somalia as the country sees success in battling what the US calls “the largest and most deadly Al Qaida network in the world”.

Sixty-one tons of weapons and ammunition arrived on Tuesday in Mogadishu, the US said in a statement of support for a historic Somalia-led military offensive against Al Shabab extremists that has recaptured dozens of communities since August.

The government of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared “total war” last year on the thousands of Al Shabab extremists who for more than a decade have controlled parts of the country and carried out devastating attacks while exploiting clan divisions and extorting millions of dollars a year.

The current offensive was sparked in part by local communities and militias driven to the brink by Al Shabab’s harsh taxation policies amid the country’s worst drought on record. Somalia’s government quickly lent support. Now neighbours Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti have agreed to a joint “search and destroy” military campaign.

Somalia is recovering from decades of conflict, and the federal government is eager to shed the country’s history as a failed state and attract investment. Under the current president, the government is cracking down on Al Shabab’s financial network and encouraging religious authorities to reject the extremist group’s propaganda — even enlisting a former deputy Al Shabab leader as Somalia’s current minister for religious affairs.

The US has an estimated 450 military personnel in Somalia after President Joe Biden reversed his predecessor Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US forces. The US supports Somali forces and a multinational African Union force with drone strikes, intelligence and training.

The increased support for the Somalia-led offensive comes as the AU force is set to withdraw from the country and hand over security responsibilities to Somalia by the end of 2024. — ap