The United States government has officially confirmed, for the first time, that its forces have withdrawn from the Baledogle military base in the Lower Shabelle region. The departure follows the deterioration of the base’s runway, the repair of which would have required tens of millions of dollars.
General John Brennan, Deputy Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), stated that the condition of the runway had worsened to the point where landing military aircraft there had become dangerous.
“The airfield’s runway had deteriorated to the extent that landing aircraft there became hazardous,” Brennan said, adding that the U.S. would continue to provide military support to Somali forces.
This confirmation comes days after the American newspaper *Stars and Stripes* reported that all U.S. troops had vacated the Baledogle base, located approximately 96 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu.
For a long time, Baledogle served as a critical hub for U.S. operations in Somalia—specifically for intelligence gathering, supporting airstrikes, and training Somali forces engaged in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The withdrawal of troops marks a significant shift in the U.S. military presence at this base—a development that comes after Washington had invested, just last year, in the construction of medical facilities and troop housing, as well as the enhancement of base security, with the intention of establishing it as a long-term hub for military operations.
The U.S. military presence in Somalia has undergone various changes. In late 2020, then-President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of nearly 700 American troops from the country; however, in May 2022, his successor, President Joe Biden, redeployed hundreds of soldiers to bolster support for Somali forces and the fight against Al-Shabaab.
Although the United States has confirmed the withdrawal of its forces from Baledogle, it has made clear that the military support it provides to Somalia will continue.
