The United States is increasing its military aid to Somalia as the country sees success in fighting what it calls “the world’s largest and deadliest al-Qaeda network.”
Sixty-one tons of weapons and ammunition arrived in Mogadishu on Tuesday, the US said in a statement in support of a historic Somalia-led military offensive against al-Shabaab extremists, who have recaptured dozens of communities since August. In a separate joint statement along with other major security partners Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Britain, the US said they would support Somalia’s efforts to manage arms and ammunition that have prompted the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo on the country. May allow the removal of restrictions. Somalia’s National Security Advisor Hussein Sheikh-Ali tweeted after the Washington gathering, “A very productive meeting.” The government of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud last year declared “total war” on thousands of al-Shabaab extremists, who have controlled parts of the country for more than a decade and carried out devastating attacks taking advantage of clan divisions and recovered millions of dollars in his quest to establish an Islamic state.