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US Soldiers Join Somali Army in its War Against Shabaab

Security forces patrol outside a building that was attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu (AFP)
Security forces patrol outside a building that was attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu (AFP)
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US Soldiers Join Somali Army in its War Against Shabaab

Security forces patrol outside a building that was attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu (AFP)
Security forces patrol outside a building that was attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu (AFP)

US soldiers joined the Somali army, preparing for the second phase of the war against the extremist Somali al-Shabaab Movement.

An official in the Somali government confirmed, on condition of anonymity, to Asharq Al-Awsat that members of the US Special Forces had arrived in the Mahas area, about 300 km from the capital.

The special forces will help supervise the upcoming attack against the strongholds of al-Shabaab.

According to Somali media, US military officials and officers were received by Mahas Governor upon their arrival in the area.

It quoted local officials as saying that the visit of the US officials falls within the framework of the second phase of the upcoming military operation against al-Shabaab.

Meanwhile, the extremist Somali youth movement claimed to have received "intelligence information" regarding a US plan to return Ethiopian forces to Somalia.

In an interview with al-Shabab-affiliated radio, the militant group's spokesman, Ali Rage, accused the US of mobilizing forces against the group.

He said the original plan was to eliminate al-Shabab within six months, noting the failure of the first phase of the operation, which included NATO members such as the US and Türkiye.

Earlier this month, Mogadishu International Airport received a US Air Force plane loaded with a shipment of military equipment to support the Somali forces.

Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Nur said it would contribute to the war against the al-Shabab Movement.

Last year, US President Joe Biden restored 450 troops to Somalia to advise Somali soldiers, more than a year after his predecessor Donald Trump ordered their withdrawal.

Before Trump's decision, the US had about 700 troops in Somalia focused on helping local forces against the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab insurgency.

In addition to the military and logistical support, Washington allocated through the Rewards for Justice Program (RFJ) of the US State Department a reward of $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Shabaab leader, Ali Rage, accused of involvement in terrorist attacks in Kenya and Somalia.

Officials in the Mahas region said that they are moving to the Galgaduud area to remove the Movement from it and urged locals to expel the al-Shabab from the whole country.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced the resumption of the second face of military operations against terrorism in several areas, noting that the national army is intensifying its operations against al-Shabaab Movement linked to the al-Qaeda organization, and inflicted heavy losses upon it.

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Strong Earthquake Kills at Least 126 People in Tibet

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers search for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua via AP)
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers search for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua via AP)
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Strong Earthquake Kills at Least 126 People in Tibet

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers search for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua via AP)
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers search for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua via AP)

 A strong earthquake shook a high-altitude region of western China and areas of Nepal on Tuesday, damaging hundreds of houses, littering streets with rubble and killing at least 126 people in Tibet. Many others were trapped as dozens of aftershocks shook the remote region.
Rescue workers climbed mounds of broken bricks, some using ladders in heavily damaged villages, as they searched for survivors. Videos posted by China's Ministry of Emergency Management showed two people being carried on stretchers by workers treading over the debris from collapsed homes.
At least 188 people were injured in Tibet on the Chinese side of the border, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
More than 1,000 homes were damaged in the barren and sparsely populated region, state broadcaster CCTV reported. In video posted by the broadcaster, building debris littered streets and crushed cars.
According to The AP, people in northeastern Nepal strongly felt the earthquake, but there were no initial reports of injuries or damage, according to the country's National Emergency Operation Center. The area around Mount Everest, about 75 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of the epicenter, was empty in the depth of winter when even some residents move away to escape the cold.
The quake woke up residents in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu — about 230 kilometers (140 miles) from the epicenter — and sent them running into the streets.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake measured magnitude 7.1 and was relatively shallow at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6 miles). China's Earthquake Networks Center recorded the magnitude as 6.8. Shallow earthquakes often cause more damage.
The epicenter was in Tibet's Tingri county, where the India and Eurasia plates grind against each other and can cause earthquakes strong enough to change the heights of some of the world’s tallest peaks in the Himalayan mountains.
There have been 10 earthquakes of at least magnitude 6 in the area where Tuesday’s quake hit over the past century, the USGS said.
About 150 aftershocks were recorded in the nine hours after the earthquake, and the Mount Everest scenic area on the Chinese side was closed.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to rescue people, minimize casualties and resettle those whose homes were damaged. More than 3,000 rescuers were deployed, CCTV said.
Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing was dispatched to the area to guide the work, and the government announced the allocation of 100 million yuan ($13.6 million) for disaster relief.
About 6,900 people live in three townships and 27 villages within 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) of the epicenter on the Chinese side, state media said. The average altitude in the area is about 4,200 meters (13,800 feet), the Chinese earthquake center said in a social media post.
On the southwest edge of Kathmandu, a video showed water spilling out into the street from a pond in a courtyard with a small temple.
“It is a big earthquake," a woman can be heard saying. "People are all shaking.”