Pentagon looks to expand Somalia fight
Defense Department wants improved ability to battle al-Qaida-linked militants, as president pushes for defeat of extremists.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon wants to expand the military’s ability to battle al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia, potentially putting U.S. forces closer to the fight against a stubborn extremist group that has plotted attacks against America, senior U.S. officials said.
The recommendations sent to the White House would allow U.S special operations forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army in the struggle against alShabab militants in the Horn of Africa nation, the officials said. They said the proposal would give the military greater flexibility to launch airstrikes against extremists that appear to be a threat.
Beefing up the military effort in Somalia fits with President Donald Trump’s broader request for a Pentagon plan to accelerate the U.S.-led battle against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and defeat other extremist groups, including al-Qaida and its affiliates. U.S. concerns about alShabab escalated in recent years as young Americans from Somali communities traveled to training camps in Somalia, raising fears they might return to the United States and conduct terror attacks.
Somalia was one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries included in Trump’s travel ban last month. The executive order has been suspended by federal courts.
Somalia is “our most perplexing challenge,” said Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of U.S. Africa Command.
The United States is “trying to take a look at Somalia from a fresh perspective in the way ahead,” he said, describing the need to weaken the decade-old alShabab insurgency so that that nation’s military forces can defeat it.
Waldhauser declined to provide details of the proposed options.
But other officials said elements include giving U.S. special operations forces greater ability to accompany local troops on military missions against al-Shabab and easing restrictions on when the U.S. can conduct airstrikes against the group. The officials weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the confidential review and spoke on condition of anonymity
About 50 U.S. commandos now rotate inand out of Somalia to advise and assist the local troops. The new proposals could result in a small increase in the number of U.S. forces in Somalia, officials said.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis approved the recommendations and sent the plan to the White House earlier this month, they added.
But no final decisions have been made, and the proposal could prove politically sensitive because of the downing of two U.S. helicopters in Mogadishu in 1993 that killed 18 American troops.
The White House declined to comment, deferring questions to the Defense Department.
Currently, U.S. forces can transport and accompany local troops. But they must keep their distance from front lines and can engage the enemy only if they come under attack or if Somali forces are in danger of defeat. The new proposalwould give U.S. forces the ability to move along with Somali troops into the fight if needed.
While the U.S. military right now can conduct airstrikes in self-defense or to protect Somali troops if they come under attack and request help, the new authorities would be broader.
Officials said that under the new recommendations, the military would be able to launch airstrikes against militants on a more preemptive basis. For example, the U.S. could target alShabab fighters gathering for an attack rather than waiting until government forces were under fire.
Al-Shabab has been ousted from most Somali cities and towns, but its suicide bombers continue to kill across large parts of the south and center of the country. That includes Mogadishu, the capital.
Somalia’s new president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, inaugurated Wednesday, warned that it will take another two decades to “fix” his country.