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Miller remained ashore for only a few hours in the capital Mogadishu, meeting up with some of the US troops deployed there after traveling from US military facility Camp Lemonnier in neighboring Djibouti.
While Pentagon officials say the purpose of the trip is to meet troops on the Thanksgiving holiday, it comes amid reports that the Trump administration plans to remove nearly all of the approximately 700 US troops currently deployed in support of the anti-terror campaign. in Somalia, a levy would be just the latest in a series of major military moves and troop withdrawals expected to take place just days before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in in January.
US troops in Somalia mainly train and advise local Somali forces as they fight al Qaeda’s largest affiliate, Al-Shabaab.
The Pentagon has yet to officially announce troop cuts in Somalia, but defense officials tell CNN that major reductions are expected in the coming days.
“Despite many years of continued Somali, US and international counter-terrorism pressure, the terrorist threat in East Africa is not degraded: Al-Shabaab maintains freedom of movement in many parts of southern Somalia and has demonstrated the ability and intention to attack the outside the country, including targeting US interests, ”the report said.
“Somalia’s security forces are unable to contain the threat from Al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia, which represents a minor but still powerful threat, without significant international support,” he added.
Miller said one of his primary goals for the Department of Defense is to finish the fight against al Qaeda, a mission made more challenging by the continued presence of Al-Shabaab, the terrorist group’s largest affiliate, particularly with a reduced military effort. of the United States.
The Trump administration pledged to train the Danab army in 2017 at an international conference in London.
Although Al-Shabaab has been kicked out of Somalia’s major cities and towns, the group still has a lot of influence in southern Somalia, carries out terrorist attacks in Mogadishu and commands around 5,000-10,000 fighters.
Miller also visited Djibouti, Bahrain and Qatar
Before traveling to Somalia, Miller made unannounced visits to US military installations in neighboring Djibouti, as well as Bahrain and Qatar.
Defense officials tell CNN that Miller’s visit to the region focuses on visiting US troops deployed overseas on Thanksgiving, not new political initiatives.
“Miller will meet with service members to express his gratitude for their and their families’ selfless service to the Nation and to wish them a happy and healthy Thanksgiving vacation,” the Pentagon said in a statement announcing his trip to the region. without identifying any of the specific locations due to security concerns.
Djibouti is home to the largest US military installation in Africa and approximately 3,500 US soldiers are based there.
Some of the forces in Djibouti help support the counter-terrorism campaign in neighboring Somalia and while there Miller met with the commander of the United States Africa Command, General Stephen Townsend, who oversees all US forces on the continent.
Bahrain is home to the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces Central Command which oversees naval operations in the Middle East and is made up of approximately 20 ships and more than 7,000 US personnel.
Qatar is home to approximately 8,500 US personnel at al Udeid Air Base, home to the US Air Force Central Command that oversees US air operations in the region.
In all three locations, Miller, a former Army Special Forces officer, met with US troops and helped serve traditional Thanksgiving food in the facilities’ restaurants.
He has also toured Navy ships and talked extensively with soldiers, sailors and air force personnel, asking questions and telling jokes, appearing to adopt a more irreverent and playful style than some of his predecessors.
Miller said the purpose of the visit was “to come out and show them some love, show them some respect – thanks to them – because with this Covid-19, they won’t come home … very important. for me in this position to go out and do the rounds “.
And although his first overseas trip takes place during a presidential transition, on the trip Miller provided a written statement saying that despite his absence from Washington, he will make sure the transition is effective.
“I will make sure there is an effective transition process because this is what the American people expect from national security professionals,” the statement said.
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