Defense Secretary Christopher Miller informed CIA Director Gina Haspel of the move in a letter this week. The U.S. military provides extensive support for CIA paramilitary operations, including air traffic, logistics and medical evacuation. These changes include the deportation of the described DOT personnel to certain military equipment, including CIA and Predator drones, which will take place by January 5th. The move was first reported by Defense One, citing a number of sources. CIN and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The move is the latest major policy change since President Donald Trump began shaking up a large staff at the Pentagon following his election defeat to Joe Biden. The Trump administration has announced the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia and in recent weeks has pushed out most of the Pentagon’s civilian leadership, shifting the number of political believers instead of officials in disruptive waves, and his administration is nearing completion. Since the shooting of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in a tweet on November 9, the president has fired at least three top officials and appointed two advisory committees to replace them with loyalists. Former senior executive CNN A senior executive familiar with the matter said the news of the plan came after CNN reported that a CIA operator had been killed in an operation in Somalia last month. The officer said the officer was injured and later died during an operation in the country. The officer’s identity has not been made public, but the source said the officer was a former Navy SEAL. Last week the administration confirmed plans to withdraw almost all of the troops that arrived from the country in early 2021. Special Operations Forces have been deployed with the Somali National Army to assist in the fight against al-Shabab militants. In addition to advising on airstrikes and ground strikes, the primary task of the Navy SEAL-led team is to train and build Somalia’s own elite infantry. U.S. military advisers in Somalia generally seek to lead Somali forces in operations where U.S. forces find themselves in war situations. In September, a US service member was wounded when al-Shabab attacked US and Somali forces. In August, the U.S. military launched an airstrike targeting al-Shabab militants as Salam near Thar, after local U.S.-backed forces set fire to a building. A Pentagon inspector general’s report released this year described the conflict in Somalia as US-backed Somali government forces continue to fight al-Shabaab, and the rebel group continues to target Somalia and international forces in the country’s southern provinces. Al-Shabaab is estimated to be in command of 5,000 to 10,000 militants, according to estimates by the African Command and Security Intelligence Organization. Although US military advisers have been in Somalia at least since 2013, the initiative has received a major boost under the Trump administration, which in 2017 volunteered to undertake self-consultation work. To expand drone attacks. CNN’s Barbara Star contributed to the report. .
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