(23-10-23) MOGADISHU — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia convened a high-profile meeting on Monday with U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Shane Dixon and Colonel David J. Haskell, Joint Special Operations-AFRICOM Commander. The agenda focussed on intensifying joint efforts to combat the Al-Shabaab extremist group.
The U.S. government has been a prominent supporter of Somalia’s military operations against Al-Shabaab, which has been destabilising Somalia for years. U.S. officials present lauded both the President and the Somali Armed Forces for recent victories, which have effectively driven the terrorists from multiple strategic locales, strengthening the government’s foothold.
Accompanied by the Commander of the National Army and the Commander of the Somali Infantry, President Mohamud stressed the Somali people’s unanimous resolve to fight against terrorism. He articulated the broader implications of a stable Somalia for the Horn of Africa’s development.
“The people and the Somali government deserve greater military support,” President Mohamud said, underlining the necessity for heightened aid from international allies. He emphasised that Al-Shabaab is not merely a domestic threat but an “international scourge” that demands collective action from regional and global partners.
President Hassan Sheikh recently returned from a two-month stay in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug, where he led the offensive against Al-Shabaab. Last week, the president also visited Baidoa city to initiate the second phase of the campaign against the extremist group.
Halqabsi News
