Djibouti president says ‘repetition of Afghanistan’ likely in Somalia after AU troop drawdown

October 3, 2023

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Ghuelleh has said Al-Shabaab militants would emulate Taliban in taking over Somalia after the withdrawal of African Union peacekeepers.

“These coming months are crucial… We will see a repetition of Afghanistan where American troops withdrew from the country without preparing,” Ghuelleh said in an interview with TRT television.

Ghuelleh called for at least a 3-month suspension of the scheduled drawdown of 3,000 African Union peacekeepers to avert a possible collapse of military offensive against Al-Shabaab.