NEW YORK // American plans to deploy regular troops to Somalia for the first time since 1993, when 18 special forces died during the Battle of Mogadishu, are the latest sign of Donald Trump’s increasingly muscular stance around the world.
The disaster in the Somali capital — later depicted in the film Black Hawk Down — has long haunted American foreign policy, serving as reminder of the risks involved in military intervention.
But as Mr Trump increases the US footprint around the world, sending troops to Iraq and Syria and ordering an aircraft carrier group closer to North Korea, his administration has also ordered a more aggressive push against Somalia’s Al Shabaab extremists.
A US military spokeswoman said several dozen soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division would train and equip Somalia’s army and African Union forces to better combat the Al Qaeda-linked group.
She offered no further details other than to say: “For operational security issues, we will not discuss specifics of military efforts nor speculate on potential future activities or operations.”
The order is the latest sign of how the new administration is stepping up efforts against violent extremism around the world.
Mr Trump last month signed off on a Pentagon plan to accelerate operations against Al Shabaab, including additional air strikes and covert operations.
It designated parts of the war-torn country as an “area of active hostilities”, allowing US commanders in Africa more latitude to conduct attacks.
Capt Jeff Davis, Pentagon spokesman, said at the time: “The additional support provided by this authority will help deny Al Shabaab safe havens from which it could attack US citizens or US interests in the region.”
For years Mr Trump castigated his predecessors for getting bogged down in foreign wars. But since taking office, the new president has adopted an increasingly interventionist stance.
During the past month he has ordered a missile strike on Syria and entered a stand-off with North Korea over its nuclear programme. In Afghanistan, the US military deployed the biggest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat to destroy caves used by a local branch of ISIL in Afghanistan.
Somalia offers a daunting challenge. It has been racked by war since 1991. A fragile government depends for its survival on international backing and a 22,000 strong African Union peacekeeping force.
Famine stalks the land once again, with the United Nations warning that as many as six million people are at risk of hunger caused by drought and conflict. At sea, piracy is also on the rise after being termporarily thwarted by an international maritime coalition.
And despite being ousted from Mogadishu in 2011, Al Shabaab remains a potent force and its fighters continue to launch attacks freely. On Sunday, two attackers were shot dead in the capital after launching a mortar strike close to the airport.
Last year the group demonstrated its international threat by trying destroy an airliner. A bomb concealed in a laptop blew a hole in the fuselage of a plane shortly after taking off from Mogadishu. The bomber was killed but the flight landed safely.
Several nations are part of an international effort to assist local forces, including the UK, Turkey and the UAE which in 2015 opened a training centre.
The US has maintained up to 50 advisers and special forces operators on the ground.
However, previous administrations have been reluctant to venture further into a country remembered as the scene of one of its most humiliating defeats in recent history.
Disaster struck when US special forces launched a raid to capture two key lieutenants of a feared warlord.
The operation should have lasted less than an hour. Instead it rapidly spiralled into chaos, as US forces were attacked by militias. Fighters used rocket propelled grenades to shoot down two Black Hawk helicopters and rescue squads came under heavy fire. As many as 3,000 Somalis were wounded during 15 hours of frantic fighting.
Once the killing was over, jubilant crowds dragged the bodies of two dead American soldiers through the streets. It was a humiliating spectacle for the world’s sole superpower and president Bill Clinton ordered the troops home soon after.
For America, those images long served as a dark reminder to presidents that their public would not tolerate the human risks of intervention, while to violent ideologues, such as Osama bin Laden, they were an illustration that even superpowers are vulnerable.
* With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
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What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Top Hundred overseas picks
London Spirit: Kieron Pollard, Riley Meredith
Welsh Fire: Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah
Manchester Originals: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott
Northern Superchargers: Dwayne Bravo, Wahab Riaz
Oval Invincibles: Sunil Narine, Rilee Rossouw
Trent Rockets: Colin Munro
Birmingham Phoenix: Matthew Wade, Kane Richardson
Southern Brave: Quinton de Kock
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
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Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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