US Air Force Supporting Ground Troops in Africa

An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon receives fuel from an Air Force KC-10 Extender during an early morning midair refueling mission supporting Operation Octave Quartz above Africa, on January 9, 2021.

Renewed attention is being paid to Africa after several clashes between Somali forces and al-Shabaab extremists in recent weeks. These clashes have drawn U.S. forces in to support Somalia on land, via Special Operations Forces, and air.

But the question that many Americans ask is why is the situation in Somalia is so important to the security of the United States and why is al-Shabaab considered a threat to the American homeland. Is it just more fluff from the U.S. government?

Read our full report to see why Somalia is an important front in stemming the tide of violent extremism in Africa.