ansaar17 Posted January 31, 2007 Last Updated: 01-31-07 at 10:25AM WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Navy has scaled back its presence off Somalia's coast, withdrawing the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier after a three-week mission there, officials said Wednesday. The carrier left Tuesday to return to the Persian Gulf region, where it had been supporting NATO-led forces in Afghanistan before going to the African coast, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Among other tasks, aircraft from the Eisenhower had been making flights daily to provide close air support for Ethiopian and Somali forces that were working with U.S. special operations forces as advisers, one official said. The planes had not been called on to use their weapons, and commanders felt the carrier was needed more in the Gulf region, the official said. So far, officials have acknowledged two airstrikes over Somalia a couple of weeks apart in January, but have given few details. They are reported to have been conducted by other U.S. forces based in Djibouti, though officials have not confirmed that. At least two U.S. ships remain off Somalia's coast _ the guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill and amphibious landing ship USS Ashland, officials said. Before the Eisenhower arrived, they had been patrolling the coast in search of al-Qaida members thought to be fleeing Somalia following Ethiopia's December invasion, aimed at unseating an Islamic movement that had taken control of the Somali capital. U.S. officials said last week that they would begin to withdraw Navy forces in tandem with the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces, which have started to leave Somalia. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bambo Posted January 31, 2007 I wonder were are terrorist TFG claimed icu where hiding them or fighting along side ??????????????????????? why havent they catch any arab fighters or perhaps any POW of icu accept those that were delivered to them by kenyan GOV. General Duke sxb answer this question for us ????????????? NO Al Qead member found in somalia how possible ??????????? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taliban Posted January 31, 2007 Originally posted by bambo: NO Al Qead member found in somalia how possible ??????????? So what if Al Qead members are found? What's wrong with Muslims helping or fighting alongside their brothers and sisters? Non-Muslims (Ethiopians, Americans, iwm) are helping the secular transitional government; why shouldn't Muslims help the Islamic Courts Union? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
