MOGADISHU (Somaligardian) – The commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Gen. Dagvin Anderson, has begun the first leg of a series of high-level visits across Africa, holding meetings in Ethiopia, Somaliland and Puntland aimed at strengthening joint action against Al-Shabaab and ISIS.
Speaking at the outset of the trip, Gen. Anderson said: “The whole reason I came here is because we have shared threats… I’m not new to this region; I understand what the issues are, and we’re here to help empower our African partners to address these threats in a united way.”
During his visit to the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, Anderson held talks with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, Brig Gen Niman Yusuf Osman, the chief of general staff of the Somaliland Armed Forces, and Adm. Ahmed Hurre Hariye, commander of the Somaliland coast guard.
He then travelled to Berbera, where he assessed the security environment and reviewed the port’s operational capacity – an area long viewed by Western military planners as strategically significant.
The US commander later flew to Puntland, meeting regional vice-president Ilyas Osman Lugator, Gen Adan Abdi Hashi, chief of the Puntland Defence Forces, and other senior officials. Discussions focused on accelerating counter-terrorism operations in northern Somalia.
Anderson praised Puntland’s recent campaign against ISIS, which saw regional forces push militants from long-held positions in the rugged Al-Miskad mountains of Bari region.
“As we face the growing security threats, including the rise of terrorist activities in East Africa, the Sahel, and West Africa’s coastal regions, the collective efforts are more important than ever,” he said. “Together we can build a more prosperous and secure future for the United States, for Africa and most importantly, for our children.”
In Addis Ababa, Anderson met Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for talks centred on regional security and the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab and ISIS.
The tour comes amid a sharp rise in US military activity in Somalia. American airstrikes in 2025 have increased ten-fold, with most targeting ISIS and supporting Puntland’s push against the group’s mountain strongholds in Bari region.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
