Ethiopia Withdraws Thousands of Troops From Neighboring Somalia
- Soldiers being redeployed to help offensive in Tigray region
- U.S. president has also announced plans for troop withdrawal
Damage after a bombing and attack at the Elite hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Aug. 16.
Photographer: Hassan Bashi/Xinhua/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Ethiopia pulled back thousands of troops who’ve been helping Somalia’s government fight an Islamist insurgency, according to three people familiar with the matter, raising concerns of a security vacuum in the war-torn nation.
Their departure from Somalia comes as federal soldiers continue to battle forces loyal to the ruling party in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump told top advisers he’s also considering extracting U.S. troops from Somalia.