MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh announced today at the headquarters of the People’s Assembly (BFS) that the United States has suspended the financial support it had been providing to the elite-trained Danab Brigade, a move he stated has had a financial impact on the Somali government.

The U.S., which had long been funding the Danab Brigade, has halted its financial contributions, prompting the Somali government to develop plans to address the situation.

The suspension of foreign aid by former U.S. President Donald Trump has significantly affected Somalia, as Washington’s funding for the Danab Brigade and efforts to combat terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab and ISIS has been cut.

The Danab Brigade is the first specialized unit established in Somalia since the collapse of the central government in 1991.

The U.S. government began training the Danab Brigade in October 2013, starting with a cohort of 105 soldiers.