Gen. Dagvin Anderson, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, completed the first leg of a series of high-level visits to Ethiopia and to Somalia’s member states of Somaliland and Puntland.
His message remained clear: the United States supports maximum pressure on ISIS, al-Shabaab, and other violent terrorist organizations, aligned with President Trump’s priorities and Secretary of War Hegseth’s guidance to protect the U.S. homeland.
“The whole reason I came here is because we have shared threats,” Anderson said. “I’m not new to this region; I understand what the issues are, and we’re here to help empower our African partners to address these threats in a united way.”
Across engagements, Anderson met with senior leaders to strengthen cooperation, reinforce burden sharing, and align security priorities. In Ethiopia, he met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Chief of Defense, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula Gelelcha. In Somaliland, he met with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and military leaders, and assessed the security environment in Berbera. In Puntland, he met with Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor and senior defense leaders, praising Puntland’s maximum-pressure efforts in the Golis Mountains.
“As we face the growing security threats, including the rise of terrorist activities in East Africa, the Sahel, and West Africa’s coastal regions, the collective efforts are more important than ever,” Anderson said. “Together we can build a more prosperous and secure future for the United States, for Africa and most importantly, for our children.”
Africa remains a region where U.S. engagement is essential to supporting global stability and the security of the U.S. homeland.
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https://www.africom.mil/article/36096/africom-commander-makes-high-level-visits-to-east-africa
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