London (SD) – The British government is reportedly planning to send special forces to Somalia to help fight terrorist groups, According to the Mirror.

An unknown number of troops are said to be assisting Somalia in training and planning operations to enable the Somali army to defeat al-Shabab.

British troops are in Somalia, according to the newspaper, planning the move, which will officially begin in 2022.

Britain says it already has a small force in Somalia to train Somali soldiers, but is now stepping up its efforts.

Britain’s defense ministry has denied the report by the Mirror, citing several sources.

“There are no current plans to significantly increase our footprint in Somalia. As standard practise, all operations are kept under review to ensure they remain operationally effective.” An MoD spokesperson told the Mirror.

Adding ““Our enduring commitment to Somalia consists of 70 personnel who support the capacity building of Somali security forces by delivering training and providing equipment.”