Mogadishu (SD) – Somalia’s Danab forces have addressed the announced withdrawal of US troops currently based at Ballidoogle Airport in the Lower Shabelle region.

The outgoing US President Donald Trump, has ordered the US Ministry of Defense and AFRICOM Command to withdraw troops from Somalia, early next year.

The new commander of the Danab Commandos, Colonel Ahmed Abdullahi Nur (Beeryare), told the BBC that there was no other country that could replace the United States.

“History has shown that no other country is able to provide such assistance to our troops and play similar role in rebuilding the our national army.” the commander said.

The U.S. military have been training Danab Commandos at Ballidoogle Airport and providing them with military equipment to fight Al Shabab militants.

When asked if the US troops would be missed, he said: “In the near future, yes, but not in the long run, I really believe that we can learn from this, that we can not be dependent on foreigners, that we as a nation, a government and people, we must work together and not rely on anyone”.

The US troops leaving Somalia will be deployed to bases in Djibouti and Kenya, but will continue to carry out necessary operations from.