Biden Orders Hundreds of Troops Back to Somalia for Antiterrorism Mission
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U.S. President Joe Biden ordered up to 450 troops to deploy to Somalia for a counterterrorism mission against al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabab, the New York Times reported. The move reverses a decision made by President Donald Trump, who ordered around seven hundred troops to withdraw from the country in January 2021.
The Department of Defense requested the redeployment to provide additional support to local partners fighting al-Shabab, a White House official said. U.S. troops had been conducting short-term training missions in Somalia since Trump’s withdrawal order. Biden reportedly also authorized U.S. forces to target a dozen al-Shabab leaders. Attacks by the group rose 17 percent (WaPo) in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
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“Al Shabab was once viewed as a threat only to Somalia, but it has morphed into a regional danger and has even had a member arrested for plotting an attack on U.S. soil,” the Soufan Center’s Colin P. Clarke writes for Foreign Affairs.
“[Biden’s order] will revive an open-ended American counterterrorism operation that has amounted to a slow-burn war through three administrations. The move stands in contrast to his decision last year to pull American forces from Afghanistan,” the New York Times’ Charlie Savage and Eric Schmitt write.
This timeline traces al-Shabab’s history.
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Shanghai Reports Third Consecutive Day Without COVID-19 Community Spread
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The milestone puts the Chinese city on track for a reopening (SCMP) slated for the end of June.
For Foreign Affairs, CFR’s Yanzhong Huang discusses whether Beijing’s harsh COVID-19 prevention measures are undermining its hold on power.
Indonesia: Farmers across the country protested (Reuters) against a palm oil export ban that the government imposed on April 28 to control rising prices. The farmers say it has hurt their incomes.
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Taliban Dissolve Afghan Human Rights Commission
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The Taliban dissolved five government departments (Reuters) created under their predecessors, including the commission for human rights and another for overseeing the implementation of the constitution.
Pakistan: Pakistan’s new foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is visiting the United States (Dawn). He is expected to try to strengthen relations after former Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed Washington for his ouster.
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Middle East and North Africa
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Pro-Hezbollah Bloc Loses Majority in Lebanon’s Parliament
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The bloc lost at least ten seats and sixteen antiestablishment independent candidates were elected (Al Jazeera) in parliamentary elections.
This Backgrounder examines Hezbollah.
Yemen: The country’s first commercial flight in six years took off (AFP) from the capital, Sanaa, amid a truce between the Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government.
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World Bank Approves $300 Million Grant for Ethiopia Reconstruction
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The grant will be spent (Addis Standard) on supporting conflict-affected communities in the regions of Afar, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia, and Tigray.
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Ukrainian Fighters at Mariupol Steel Plant Surrender
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They were evacuated (NYT) to Russia-held territory. Moscow now controls a portion of southern Ukraine that extends from the Russia border to Crimea.
France: President Emmanuel Macron chose Elisabeth Borne (Politico), the country’s left-leaning labor minister, to become prime minister. She is the second woman to hold the position.
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Biden Reverses Some Trump-Era Policies on Cuba
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Washington will resume (NYT) flights to Cuban cities other than Havana, relax a ban on remittances, and restart a program to reunite Cubans with family members in the United States.
This Backgrounder unpacks U.S.-Cuba relations.
Chile: The country finalized the draft (The Guardian) of a new constitution, which will be put to a referendum vote on September 4. The draft seeks to provide free higher education, ensure gender parity across government, and make the state responsible for responding to climate change.
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Supreme Court Strikes Down Campaign Finance Rule
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The court ruled (NPR) to allow candidates to raise more than $250,000 from outside parties to repay loans that the candidates made to their own campaigns.
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Council on Foreign Relations
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58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065
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1777 F Street, NW — Washington, DC 20006
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