Somali government suffers major losses

On Saturday, Somalia received full control of the Buurhakaba military base from the African Union Stabilization and Support Mission in Somalia. This is one example of the African Union accelerating its withdrawal, originally planned for 2028, after the U.S. withheld anti-terrorism funding in July. The American Enterprise Institute said the move “will jeopardize [Somalia’s] ability to sustain operations after 2026.” This African Union pullout comes soon after U.S. officials met the leaders of the semi-autonomous Somalian states Puntland and Jubbaland in late July and early August, and after Puntland forces forcibly took three government-aligned bases on August 5. The U.S. has worked with Somalia’s central government for decades to counter Somali terrorism, but the calculus in this nation, and in this volatile region as a whole, appears to be changing.