US forces have left Baledogle Military Airfield in southern Somalia, and Africa Command now says the reason was the runway. AFRICOM’s deputy commander, Lt. Gen. John Brennan, told reporters on 10 November that the move was “100% an economic decision” because the airfield surface had become dangerous for aircraft. He said most personnel moved to Mogadishu.
Baledogle lies in Lower Shabelle, about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Mogadishu. US troops had used it since around 2012 for counter-terrorism operations, intelligence gathering and training of the Somali National Army’s Danab commando brigade. The pull-out comes as other foreign forces in Somalia are also changing their posture.
What AFRICOM said
Speaking at a virtual briefing on Tuesday 10 November, Brennan said: “The surface of the airfield was declining to the point where it was becoming dangerous to land aircraft there.” He said resurfacing the runway would have cost tens of millions of dollars, according to Stars and Stripes and Somalia Today, which both covered the briefing.
He also said the move did not mean a cut in US support for Somali forces fighting al-Shabaab. AFRICOM has not published how many personnel were at Baledogle or how many remain in Somalia.
Timeline: from “operational security” to a runway explanation
- 28 October 2026: The Somali outlet Horn Observer first reported that US troops had left the airfield.
- 2–3 November: An AFRICOM spokesman would not confirm the move. He told Stars and Stripes that the command “repositions its forces to optimize for ongoing counterterror operations” and does not discuss details of ongoing operations.
- 6 November: A US military official told Task & Purpose that troops had moved to other parts of Somalia and might return to Baledogle in the future.
- 10 November: Brennan gave the runway and cost explanation on the record.
Why Baledogle mattered
The airfield was built in the 1970s with Soviet help. Al-Shabaab held it from 2009 until African Union forces pushed the group out about three years later, Task & Purpose reported. US forces then made it one of their main sites in Somalia.
The base was attacked on 30 September 2019, when al-Shabaab used a vehicle-borne IED and small arms. US and Somali troops fought off the assault in a firefight that lasted about an hour.
The exit is a change from US plans just 18 months ago. In May 2025, Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa announced a new medical facility and housing and security upgrades at Baledogle, which it described as an “enduring location”. In 2018 the US Navy had already awarded a contract of about $12.3 million for emergency runway repairs, according to Somalia Today and Somali Guardian.
Danab training at the site was still active recently. Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre attended the graduation of Danab’s 12th intake at Baledogle on 28 September, Somalia Today reported. It is not yet clear where future US-supported Danab training will take place. Somali Guardian reported that Ugandan and Somali forces remain at the airfield. DefenceMENA could not independently confirm this.
US strikes in Somalia continue
US air operations against al-Shabaab have continued after the move. AFRICOM reported a strike near Jamaame, northeast of Kismayo, on 5 November, in coordination with the Somali government. It followed four strikes in October, including one near Janaale in Lower Shabelle, according to the command’s records cited by Somalia Today.
A shifting foreign footprint in Somalia
Other partners are also changing their deployments. Uganda has started withdrawing the troops it sent under a bilateral arrangement and says all its forces will leave by the end of 2027 (our report). Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence on 12 November rejected reports that it would send 15,000 troops (our fact-check, updated). Al-Shabaab is still active across the border too. Eight people were killed in a suspected al-Shabaab ambush in Kenya’s Mandera County this week (report).
Brennan’s wider message: Mozambique
At the same briefing, Brennan said Washington wants to expand military cooperation with Mozambique. He urged Maputo to host more US-led exercises and to remove administrative obstacles that had held up training by US special operations forces. He said the Islamic State affiliate in Cabo Delgado was increasing its maritime capacity, pointing to recent piracy. He met President Daniel Chapo in Maputo on 5 November. Brennan has also warned Madagascar against following Russia’s “Sahel model” (our report).
What is still unknown
- How many US personnel were at Baledogle, and how many are now in Mogadishu or elsewhere in Somalia.
- Whether the United States will fund runway repairs later, or whether the official’s comment about a possible return will lead anywhere.
- Where US-supported Danab training will be based from now on.
Sources
- Stars and Stripes, “US military cites deteriorating runway in withdrawal from Somalia base”, 10 November 2026 (Lt. Gen. John Brennan briefing quotes).
- Stars and Stripes, “US troops leave key outpost in Somalia, report says”, 3 November 2026 (AFRICOM spokesman statement).
- Somalia Today, “US confirms troops left Somalia’s Baledogle military base”, 10 November 2026.
- Somali Guardian, “US confirms troop exit from Baledogle airfield over runway repair costs”, 11 November 2026.
- Task & Purpose, “US forces leave important airfield in Somalia”, 6 November 2026.
- Horn Observer, first report of the withdrawal, 28 October 2026.
Image: Members of the US East Africa Response Force at Baledogle Airfield, Somalia, 18 March 2024 (file photo). Photo: Army Sgt. Joshua DuRant / US DoD, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.