The United States has confirmed that most of its military personnel stationed at Baledogle Military Airfield in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region have been relocated, primarily to Mogadishu, citing deteriorating runway conditions.
AFRICOM Deputy Commander Lieutenant General John Brennan disclosed the move during a briefing on November 10, explaining that the runway had deteriorated to a point where aircraft landings were becoming dangerous.
Brennan said repairing and resurfacing the runway would cost tens of millions of dollars, describing the relocation as an economic decision rather than a change in Washington’s security commitment to Somalia.
He also indicated that the decision had been made approximately a year earlier, after it became clear that funding for the necessary runway repairs would not be available.
Baledogle Military Airfield has served as an important operational and training centre for Somali security forces, including the US-trained Danab special forces.
However, Brennan did not disclose how many American personnel had been relocated, whether any US troops remain at the facility, or whether the move has affected Danab training and other military support arrangements.
He stressed that the relocation does not represent a change in the broader security partnership between the United States and Somalia.
