Corona freezes AFRICOM’s military operations in Somalia

Ahmed Adel

In a state of anticipation, the world is currently suffering due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The American military command in Somalia, known as AFRICOM, is concerned about the elements of its forces in Somalia with the aim of fighting the terrorist organizations, led by Al-Shabab, that the deadly virus will strike the American soldiers.

General Stephen Townsend

The US military command in Africa, led by General Stephen Townsend, announced on April 8, 2020 its desire to freeze its military operations in Somalia, due to the spread of the virus.

The director of operations William Gailer said that the terrorist Al-Shabaab movement continues to pose a major security threat in Somalia and seeks to spill more blood inside Somalia and in a number of its neighboring countries.

The American military command announced that it launched an airstrike on a site near the town of Bush, the city, killing three of al-Shabaab movement, one of them is Yusuf Jayyis, one of its founders, who assumed leadership positions in the movement.

American presence

The American forces are present in the Somali Air Doji air base located in the Lower Shabelle region, which is adjacent to the capital Mogadishu, and the drone is launched from that base to hit al-Shabaab movement sites in central and southern Somalia.

The American forces are also present in a small base at Kismayo Airport about 500 kilometers south of the capital, Mogadishu, and there are about 40 military personnel, who operate drones.

Likewise, in the Halani Complex in Mogadishu, which includes the main base of the African Union Mission for Peacekeeping in Somalia (“ANSOM”) and a number of the headquarters of the country’s embassies.

The American warships are stationed on the coast of Somalia, where the United States is pushing a number of warships to fight piracy, which is one of the most important forms of financing the youth movement.