Steve Holland, Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters] -The U.S. president Joe Biden approved the redeployment less than 500 American troops to Somalia. The announcement came Monday after Donald Trump directed their withdrawal.

Before Trump’s departure, approximately 700 US troops were stationed in Somalia to support local forces against the al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab Insurgency.

According to senior administration officials, the President Biden approved the request of the Secretary of Defense for a permanent U.S. military presence to Somalia in order to fight al Shabaab more effectively.

The official stated that this was a repositioning for forces in the theater, who had traveled to and from Somalia in an episodic fashion since the withdrawal decision of the previous administration.

Another official from the United States stated that less than 500 troops will be part of the revamped troop force.

Official said that Trump’s U.S. policy of rotating troops in-and-out had caused a “force protection threat” and that Biden had “made the decision “to increase safety and effectiveness for our special operators.

Al Shabaab wants to overthrow government officials and establish its rule in Somalia, based on strict Islamic Sharia Law interpretations.

Insurgents often carry out bombings at Mogadishu as part of their war against the Horn of Africa government’s central office.

Somalia, which has been through conflict and clan wars since 1991’s fall of Mohamed Siad Barre as dictator, is now without a strong central government. It has limited control over the capital. The African Union contingent is stationed in an “Green Zone” in Iraq.

The United States has not had any troops deployed to Somalia since Trump’s December 2020 withdrawal order. However, military personnel have occasionally been involved in strikes and sent troops to neighboring countries.