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Video by Capt. Jennifer French

173rd Airborne Brigade trains Somali troops to support the fight against al-Shabaab

173rd Airborne Brigade

Feb. 20, 2025 | 0:52

On the front lines of Somalia’s battle against al-Shabaab, soldiers like Somali infantry Sgt. Mubarak and Sgt. Hussein Dahir Muhammad refuse to back down. They are fighting for their country’s future—and they are not alone.

Alongside them stand the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, paratroopers committed to strengthening Somali forces through Justified Accord 2025, U.S. Africa Command’s premier multinational training exercise in East Africa.

Stationed in Vicenza, Italy, the 173rd Airborne Brigade is in Kenya to train, mentor, and support Somali troops in their fight against the terrorist group that has plagued their homeland for over a decade. Through intensive battlefield drills, leadership development, and joint operations training, the brigade is helping to forge a stronger, more capable Somali military.

For Somali Sgt. Mubarak, who has served in the military for six years, the mission is deeply personal.

“I came to work for my country and to help my people,” he said. “I feel bad for al-Shabaab. They are a terrorist group. I’m ready to make [Somalia] secure again.”

Sgt. Hussein Dahir Muhammad has witnessed firsthand the devastation al-Shabaab has inflicted on Somali communities.

“Al-Shabaab is terrorism,” he said. “They don’t know neighborly brotherhood, and they’re always killing civilians. Terrorism has destroyed our country. That’s why I’m here—to divide the enemy of my country.”

Somalia is not fighting alone. With the support of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, British army soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 11th Infantry Brigade, 1st (United Kingdom) Division, Kenya Defense Forces and the Tanzania People's Defense Force, troops to keep Eastern Africa secure are growing stronger.

“They always give us their precious time,” Hussein Dahir said. “It is nice.”

Running from Feb. 10–21, Justified Accord 2025 unites troops from across the world to sharpen crisis response capabilities and bolster regional security. The 173rd Airborne Brigade’s role underscores the United States’ enduring commitment to helping Somali forces secure their nation’s future—one battle, one mission, and one soldier at a time.

(U.S. Army Video by Capt. Jennifer French)