MOGADISHU, Somalia – The United States Embassy in Mogadishu on Sunday said actions directed against the United States undermine the longstanding bilateral relationship between Washington and Somalia, while welcoming the Somali government’s swift response to a video showing members of the country’s security forces desecrating the US flag.
In a statement, the embassy said the United States had provided Somalia with billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded assistance over the years, highlighting Washington’s sustained support in combating terrorist groups that threaten US interests and directly target Somali civilians.
“The United States has supported Somalia with billions of dollars in assistance funded by the American people,” the embassy said, adding that counterterrorism cooperation has remained one of the cornerstones of the partnership between the two countries.
The embassy praised the Federal Government of Somalia for taking what it described as prompt and firm action after the circulation of footage allegedly showing Somali security personnel violating the US flag.
It also warned that those responsible for the incident were attempting to damage relations between Somalia and the United States.
“Individuals involved in these actions, who seek to harm Somalia-US relations, are hurting the Somali people and must be held accountable,” the embassy said.
The statement comes amid close security cooperation between Somalia and the United States, particularly in efforts to combat the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab.
