U.S. Forces Withdraw from Balidoogle Base

Muqdisho (Caasimada Online) – The United States military has withdrawn from the Balidoogle airbase in the Lower Shabelle region after more than 14 years of using the base for operations against Al-Shabaab.

The withdrawal occurred at the end of October, with the U.S. forces stationed at the base being relocated to other areas within Somalia, as confirmed by U.S. officials to the military affairs newspaper Task & Purpose.

According to the officials, a small number of U.S. soldiers remain at the base, responsible for training local forces, while the last troops left the base at the end of last month.

Balidoogle has long been one of the locations used by U.S. forces to support military operations against Al-Shabaab, and their departure is part of a shift in where U.S. forces operate within Somalia.

On the other hand, this move comes at a time when the national army has increased military activities in the Lower Shabelle region, aiming to take significant responsibility for security.

U.S. officials have indicated that the forces removed from Balidoogle have been relocated to other locations in Somalia, which shows that the withdrawal from this base does not mean that the U.S. has completely ended its military presence in the country.

Nevertheless, U.S. forces are still in Somalia, even though they have left the Balidoogle base, and their troops are now operating in other important areas of the country.