WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says President Donald Trump has ordered most of the approximately 700 troops in Somalia to leave the country.
The move continues Trump's post-election push to shrink the number of U.S. troops operating against extremists abroad. He previously ordered troop drawdowns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
On Friday, the Pentagon said Trump had ordered “a majority” of the U.S. forces in Somalia to leave by early 2021. It did not provide a specific number of troops or a specific withdrawal deadline.
In a short written statement, the Pentagon said the move does not end the counterterrorism mission in Somalia.
