US President Donald Trump has pledged to help Somalia fight terrorism, particularly targeting the Houthis, who he fears are establishing bases in the country.
Trump, who is currently engaged in a personal war with the Houthi group in Yemen, which has attacked Israeli and Western ships, said he would help Somalia prevent the Houthis from using their territory as a base.
“We will support the Somali people, and we will not allow the Houthis to use their territory as a base, so that we can end terrorism and make their country prosperous,” Trump said.
He said the US air force, which he described as “unprecedented heroes,” would bring the extremists to justice, just as they had done in Syria and Iraq during his previous term.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Ambassador to Washington, Dahir Arab, welcomed the US government’s support, saying that extremist groups can only be defeated through full cooperation.
“I am very grateful to President Trump for his clear support. This cooperation is of great value to Somalia. Together, we can tackle terrorism, and eliminate threats like the Houthis, to bring real stability to the Horn of Africa,” said Ambassador Dahir Arab.
The United States has been conducting airstrikes in recent months against the Houthis, ISIS, and Al-Shabaab, with the latter’s main base in Somalia reportedly being crippled by Puntland forces in recent months.
The US military has also said there are links between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, and it is feared that the Houthis, who are allied with the Iranian government, have provided significant military equipment to Al-Shabaab.
As the New York Times recently reported, White House officials are divided on how to address the situation in Somalia, saying that terrorism poses a threat to Mogadishu. Trump’s comments appear to indicate that Washington is determined to continue its support for the fight against extremism.
