By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
MOGADISHU (Dawan Africa) – July 31, 2026 – The commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, has said continued progress against terrorism is essential if the United States is to justify keeping military resources committed to Somalia.
In an interview published by the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu on Friday, Anderson said AFRICOM’s resources allocated to Somalia are under constant competition from other U.S. military priorities and must be supported by measurable results.
He said proposals to redirect resources to other theatres have been considered, but that continued progress against Al-Shabaab and ISIS has so far justified keeping them in Somalia.
“As long as we can continue to show that progress against the mutual threat, which is terrorism — that is Al-Qaeda, that is ISIS — then those resources I can justify and continue to use them. But if those resources are used elsewhere for other things and not for the terrorist fight, then I will have a hard time justifying keeping them here because of so many other demands,” Anderson said.
Related articles
The AFRICOM commander said he remains committed to the mission in Somalia but stressed that continued progress is necessary.
“I believe in this mission, and I believe in standing here with you to counter terrorism, but we have to see that progress,” he said.
Anderson said U.S. military resources assigned to Somalia are competing with other global commitments, including Ukraine and the Middle East, making continued counterterrorism gains important to sustaining American support.