WASHINGTON: According to the White House, US President Joe Biden has approved a plan to transfer US soldiers to Somalia to combat the extremist group al-Shabab.

A senior administration official said on Monday during a briefing with reporters that less than 500 US troops will be repositioned to Somalia from forces already deployed in Africa to form "a small, persistent US military presence" in the country, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to White House ground rules.

Former President Donald Trump's order to pull out all of the almost 750 US military personnel from Somalia in the final days of his administration was rescinded, as per reports.

Since Biden entered office, US forces have been rotating through the war-torn country, a strategy the administration now thinks insufficient in combating terrorist threats to Americans in the region.

"Al-Shabab has benefited from Somali instability and fractious politics to become, as I stated, al-largest Qaeda's and wealthiest worldwide affiliate," the official said during a conference call with reporters.  "Unfortunately, clear proof of al-intent Shabab's and capability to kill Americans in the region has surfaced." According to the official, Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Somalia has resulted in "unnecessary and higher risks" for US personnel entering or exiting the nation, and the redeployment is "a step that rationalises what was fundamentally an irrational argument."

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