Baledogle Airfield

Baledogle Airfield
Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Baledogle Airfield
Location in Somalia
Coordinates 2°40′20″N 44°47′5″E / 2.67222°N 44.78472°E / 2.67222; 44.78472
Type Air Force Base
Airfield information
Elevation 298 ft (91 m) AMSL

Baledogle Airfield is a military airbase located in the district of Wanlaweyn in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia. It is situated 70 miles northwest of Mogadishu, halfway to Baidoa.[1]

The former Soviet built[2] airport served as a base for the Somali Air Force.[3][4] It is currently used by multi-national forces including the United States which operates drones against Al-Shabaab militants.[5]

Infrastructure at the airbase was expanded with the addition of 800 units of accommodation for American troops from June 2017 to May 2018. The construction of at least 208 was through the U.S. Army's Logistical Civil Augmentation Program and 600 beds were constructed under the Department of State’s Africa Peacekeeping Program.[6] The buildup coincides with an escalation by U.S. forces in their fight against al Qaida-linked al-Shabaab.[7]

References

  1. ↑ (ed.), Nina J. Fitzgerald (2002). Somalia : issues, history and bibliography. New York: Nova Science Publ. p. 28. ISBN 1590332652.
  2. ↑ "A Return to Somalia". Newsweek. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Somalia: Al Shabaab Preparing for 'All-Out War'?". Stratfor. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  4. ↑ Hammer, Joshua. "Somalia's Somewhat Friendly Skies". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Exclusive: U.S. Operates Drones From Secret Bases in Somalia". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  6. ↑ Christina Goldbaum (3 May 2018). "Exclusive: Massive military base buildup suggests the US shadow war in Somalia is only getting bigger". VICE. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "Exclusive: Massive military base buildup suggests the U.S. shadow war in Somalia is only getting bigger". VICE News. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.