The top U.S. military officer with responsibility for Africa concedes he’s worried about the threat of violent extremists taking hold there, particularly in Somalia, and said U.S. Africa Command is working to help regional governments prevent it.“We clearly worry about the threat of violent extremists taking hold in any parts of the continent where there are spaces that are under-governed or not in full control of the government,” Army Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward told National Public Radio yesterday.
“And so Somalia is, indeed, a place that we are concerned about,” he said. “In that regard, our policy is to provide support to those governments that are in position in various parts of the continent as they seek to maintain their control over their spaces.” While not actively involved in training the Somali military, Africom is working through the State Department to provide other assistance, he said.
Filed under: Somalia
