Djibouti Will Deploy Battalion of Troops to Somalia by Year-End

Djibouti plans to deploy an additional battalion of troops to Somalia to bolster the existing 1,000-strong force it has in the war-torn country, Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said.

The soldiers will help consolidate gains made by Djibouti’s armed forces in Somalia’s central Hiraan region, Youssouf said in an interview yesterday from the capital, Djibouti. Its troops have captured the districts of Buuloburde and large parts of Beledweyne from al-Qaeda-linked militants, he said.