U.S. Embassy condemns desecration of American flag, commends Somalia’s swift response

The United States Embassy in Mogadishu has condemned the desecration of the American flag by individuals wearing Somali security force uniforms, while praising the Federal Government of Somalia for its swift response to the incident.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the embassy said anti-American acts undermine the longstanding partnership between the United States and Somalia, which has been built on decades of security cooperation and billions of dollars in U.S. assistance.

“Anti-American acts harm our bilateral relationship,” the embassy said, noting that U.S. support has included significant humanitarian, development and security assistance, particularly in the fight against Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State.

The embassy welcomed the Somali government’s decision to detain those involved after a video circulating on social media showed individuals in Somali military uniforms engaging in what authorities described as unacceptable conduct involving the American flag.

“The U.S. Embassy appreciates the Federal Government of Somalia’s quick response and decisive actions,” the statement said.

The embassy added that individuals seeking to damage relations between Somalia and the United States ultimately harm the Somali people and should be held accountable.

The remarks follow an earlier statement by Somalia’s Ministry of Defence, which announced that the individuals seen in the video had been detained and that an investigation was underway to determine appropriate disciplinary and legal action. The ministry stressed that the incident did not reflect the values of the Somali National Army or the Federal Government and reaffirmed Somalia’s respect for the United States and its longstanding security partnership.

The United States remains one of Somalia’s principal security partners, providing support for counterterrorism operations, military training and institutional capacity-building aimed at strengthening the country’s fight against extremist groups.

Mustaqbal