US withdrawing forces from Somalia in line with Donald Trump's order: Pentagon

The US forces in Somalia have begun withdrawing from the country in line with President Donald Trump's order earlier this month to reposition the majority of the troops from the East African nation. According to Pentagon, there is currently 700 American personnel serving in Somalia and helping local forces battle al-Shabab and the Islamic State. 

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"I directed the activation of a joint task force, JTF-Quartz, built around the headquarters of US Africa Command, to oversee Operation Octave Quartz, the directed re-positioning of US forces from Somalia to other bases in East Africa, US Army General Stephen Townsed, the commander of Africa Command said in a statement. 

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'Not withdrawing from East Africa'

Joint Task Force-Quartz is commanded by the SOCAF commander, Maj. Gen. Dag Anderson. Townsend met with Anderson and other commanders to review their posture and plans, adding that JTF-Quartz is "ready to go". Townsend, however, added that the US is not withdrawing from East Africa and remains committed to helping its African partners in maintaining security. 

Townsend further warned the al-Shabab group saying the United States is capable of striking them at the time and place of its choosing, adding "they should not test us". 

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US President Donald Trump earlier this month ordered the withdrawal of almost all American troops and assets stationed in Somalia by early 2021. The repositioning of troops from Somalia comes a month after Defence Secretary Mark Esper was sacked by Donald Trump. Esper was in favour of maintaining a presence in Somalia. In recent months, Trump has ordered similar actions in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, from where he is pulling out US troops in line with his poll promise in 2016 to stop unnecessary spending of taxpayers' money in war-torn countries. 

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(Image Credit: AP)