This month, US special forces have been sent to the African Country of Mozambique to fight an Islamic militia force known as Al-Shabaab, which as of this month the U.S has listed as terrorist and an expansion of the Islamic State. The region that Al-Shabaab operates in is known as Cabo Delgado and is a site for offshore natural gas and the region itself is filled with poverty and grievances that had allowed for civil conflict. This operation is a way to expand U.S influence in Africa to counteract the growing African-Chinese ties. But both Al-Shabaab and the Mozambique government forces have both been accused of war crimes and the U.S is not the first foreign country to try to play their hand in the region as Portugal (former colonizers of Mozambique) and Russia under the Wagner mercenary group have sent advisors and participating in the fighting. The Al-Shabaab militia is responsible for thousands of deaths and beheading 50 people at a sporting event last year, so having the recent U.S force is a sign that the U.S is now more focus on trying to gain influence in the region and not in protecting the people.
Chris Rauch
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56441499
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