Nairobi – A new report released by the Costs of War project, an American think tank suggests that the United States’ counterterrorism efforts in Somalia are making the East African country more unstable.
The analysis report, which was made available to the public on last week claims that the US has spent at least $2.5 billion on counterterrorism operations in Somalia since 2007, not including undisclosed funds for intelligence and military operations.
The money has gone towards top-down conflict resolution tactics which the report claims have perpetuated conflict, the report by the centre at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University said.
The US has around 500 troops in Somalia conducting counterterrorism operations and has completed over 275 air strikes and raids in the country in the past 16 years, the report said in his assessment.
Despite this, al-Shabab, the armed group the US aims to eliminate, has shown a 23% rise in violent activity in the past year, and the group is “still on the rise,” according to the report.
Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, including Reps. Ilhan Omar and Pramila Jayapal, have joined 100 other House members in supporting a War Powers Resolution calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Somalia.
In response, the Biden administration has argued that US military involvement in Somalia is permitted under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.
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