US sends military advisers to somalia

[sahal80]

A US defence official told Al Jazeera that the team numbers "fewer than five" troops but was a "big step forward to normalisation of relations with Somalia".

"Small team is first permanent presence since US withdrew in 1993 after 18 Americans died in battle of Mogadishu.
The United States has sent a handful of military advisers to Somalia to help bolster the African Union force there, establishing the first permanent US military presence there in two decades.

The deployment, confirmed on Saturday, marks the first stationing of US troops in the troubled country since 1993, when two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and 18 US soldiers were killed in a disastrous operation in Mogadishu.

"The US has established a military co-ordination cell in Somalia to provide planning and advisory support to the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] and Somali security forces to increase their capabilities and promote peace and security," said US Africa Command spokesman, Colonel Tom Davis.

The team was launched in October and became fully operational in December. It is based at Mogadishu airport.

A big step forward to normalisation of relations with Somalia.

US defence official

A US defence official told Al Jazeera that the team numbers "fewer than five" troops but was a "big step forward to normalisation of relations with Somalia".

"This is an example of progress for Somalia," he said. "The government is getting back on its feet, mainly with the help of AMISOM. In the past number of years we haven't had any significant presence, our embassy operates out of Nairobi but we've progressed to point where [the US] feels comfortable leaving a number of personnel in Mogadishu."

AMISOM supports Somali government forces in their battle against al-Shabab.

Although al-Shabab has suffered battlefield setbacks in Somalia, it has orchestrated a number of attacks in other East African countries, including a bloody four-day siege of a shopping centre in Nairobi in September that killed dozens.

The UN Security Council in November approved an increase of 4,400 troops to the AU force, expanding it from 17,700 to more than 22,100. The AU force includes troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda."

[XimanJaale]

SAHAL,

hows the liberation going in hiiraan.

[original dervish]

They have about 6000 men under arms in Hiiraan.....apparently it's not enough.

[XimanJaale]

They have about 6000 men under arms in Hiiraan.....apparently it's not enough.

is your name sahal? are you from hiiraan? are you from konfuuria? stick to siilaanyo and lascaanood. OD aka no backbone

[original dervish]

Relax nigga......it's the wekend

[XimanJaale]

Relax nigga......it's the wekend

I relax on the weekdays tough

[sahal80]

SAHAL,

hows the liberation going in hiiraan.

just met some one who come back from there last week, its bash bash and barwaqo

He talked about the babaay, the bortuqaal, the liin, the qumbo, the sisin, the macsaro, the qaro...etc

every family has a lot of different farms, from khudaar, to cabitaan to rashin, for example loorkii rashinka is $25 so just for rashin if you produce 100 loor you will get $2400

The town is full of HG, mj and OG business men, its like the pre-90s.

As for the al shabaab, their days are numbered, there will be big offensive in the whole south againist al shabaab.

[GalliumerianSlayer]

Inshallah full peace and prosperity will return to Hiiraan and the whole of Somalia soon

[Substance]

This is an example of progress for Somalia," he said. "The government is getting back on its feet, mainly with the help of AMISOM. In the past number of years we haven't had any significant presence, our embassy operates out of Nairobi but we've progressed to point where [the US] feels comfortable leaving a number of personnel in Mogadishu.

Somalia should be honoured to get invaded yet again...its now safe enough to risk the lifes of white us soldiers.

Edit: Nice update Sahal