Mogadishu, Somalia — The United States has dismissed reports that it evacuated staff from its Mogadishu embassy, countering rumors of escalating security threats in Somalia’s capital.
The U.S. Embassy in Somalia issued a statement debunking claims of a staff withdrawal as “baseless and fabricated” following fears of an imminent security crisis. “These reports have no merit,” the embassy declared, insisting operations remain unaffected.
The rebuttal came after Puntland’s regional government claimed on Saturday that U.S. diplomats had left Mogadishu.
Puntland’s Information Minister, Mahmoud Dirir, tied the alleged exit to clashes at Aden Adde International Airport, near the Halane compound housing international personnel, including Americans.
Terror warnings fuel tensions
The denial follows a March 5 embassy alert warning U.S. citizens of “credible intelligence” signaling possible attacks in Somalia.
Details on the threats were scarce, but risks were flagged at key sites, including Mogadishu’s international airport. Per the notice on its official website, the embassy ordered staff to suspend all movements.
“The U.S. Embassy in Somalia reminds Americans that terrorist groups are still planning kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks here,” the alert read.
It warned of sudden strikes targeting airports, checkpoints, government buildings, hotels, markets, and areas frequented by Westerners or military convoys, often with minimal warning.
U.S. ramps up airstrikes
The U.S. State Department has upheld a Level 4 travel advisory for Somalia since July 2024, citing terrorism, crime, and instability—a stance unchanged, the embassy said.
The alert coincides with intensified U.S. military action since President Donald Trump’s January 2025 return to power.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reported that a February 1 airstrike—the first of Trump’s second term—killed several ISIS militants, with no civilian losses noted.
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has since launched multiple strikes alongside Somali forces, hitting ISIS and Al-Shabaab targets in Al-Kowsar, Ceel Baraf, Dadar, and Boulo-Burte.
A recent International Crisis Group report pegs ISIS numbers in Somalia at hundreds, primarily entrenched in Puntland’s Cal Miskaat mountains—a remote stronghold in the Bari region.
Somalia’s fragile security landscape
The U.S. plays a pivotal role in Somalia, backing the federal government against Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate that has plagued the country since 2006.
Mogadishu, home to over 3 million, hosts the fortified Halane compound within the airport zone, a nerve center for diplomatic and military efforts.
Sporadic fighting near this area highlights Somalia’s fragile stability despite years of international intervention.
Al-Shabaab remains a potent force, controlling rural zones and striking cities—evidenced by a March 11 hotel attack in Beledweyne that claimed seven lives.
Puntland’s assertion of a U.S. exit—swiftly denied—underscores tensions with Somalia’s central government.
The northeastern region, semi-autonomous and often at odds with Mogadishu, may leverage the claim for political gain.
The embassy offered no further comment beyond its rejection, signaling a resolve to stay put.
