The U.S. Embassy in Somalia has refuted claims of a mass evacuation of its diplomats, labelling such reports as misinformation.
Puntland’s Minister of Information, Dirir, recently claimed that most American diplomats had been evacuated, expressing fears that Mogadishu could face a situation similar to Afghanistan.
Additionally, Guled Ahmed, also known as Guled Wiliq, a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute, claimed on social media that the U.S. had begun withdrawing essential staff due to Al-Shabaab militants encircling the capital and acquiring advanced missile capabilities. However, these claims have been discredited.
In a Sunday post on X (formerly Twitter), the embassy dismissed the claims as “fake news.”
A HOL report had already clarified that a March 4 security alert suspended U.S. diplomatic personnel movements but did not indicate an evacuation. The alert cited “credible information related to potential imminent attacks” nationwide, including threats against Aden Adde International Airport. The U.S. State Department’s Level Four travel advisory, in effect since July 2024, remains unchanged, warning against travel to Somalia due to terrorism, crime, and civil unrest.
Senior Somali government officials, including the President and the Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow pushed back against alarmist narratives, asserting that Al-Shabaab lacks the operational capability to overrun Mogadishu.
A Level 4 travel advisory from the U.S. State Department, which strongly warns against travel to Somalia due to threats including terrorism, crime, and civil unrest, has been in effect since July 2024 and remains unchanged.
