US President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of American soldiers from Somalia by early next year. However, according to the Pentagon the US is not “withdrawing” or “disengaging” from Africa. It said that some forces would possibly be reassigned to other regions in the continent.

The BBC reports that some 700 US soldiers are currently deployed in Somalia, to train local forces and to help them fight against the al-Shabab group.

The Pentagon added that the US would retain ‘the capability’ to conduct targeted so called counterterrorism operations in Somalia.

Recently, according to the BBC, Trump had also ordered troop withdrawals from Germany, Afghanistan and Iraq. It reports that the withdrawal from Somalia is the latest in a planned global pullback of US personnel by President Trump, before he vacates office in January.

Umm Muhammed Umar