December 12, 2020, 10:23 PM UPDATED: December 12, 2020, 10:23 PM The decision of out-going US President Donald Trump to withdraw American troops from Somalia is considered ill-timed as it paves the way for al-Shabab to plan for expanding its control over the East African country. Trump’s announcement last week was heralded by a series of attacks by the groupn even as the patchy Somalian government urged the United States to reconsider its decision. There is fear that the group would take advantage also of the impending presidential elections in the country to regain control of large tracts of Somalia. Trending News Between 2011 and the present, the presence of American troops saw the group’s control diminish, and weakened their operational sharpness. The group continued to be a thorn in the Somalian flesh despite the toll it was taking from counter operations from the US troops.