Washington plans to withdraw most of its Reaper drones from Africa

The Pentagon is set to transfer most of the MQ-9 Reaper drones currently assigned to AFRICOM to the U.S. Southern Command, according to six sources cited by CNN on September 18. This move is expected to support future anti-drug and counterterrorism operations, particularly in collaboration with South American partners.

The exact number of affected drones has not been disclosed. One source informed CNN that the majority of the Reapers from AFRICOM would be reassigned to the U.S. Southern Command, with potential operations in Ecuador among the scenarios discussed. The Pentagon declined to comment on the redeployment plan.

This reassignment is being considered as U.S. forces continue their operations in East Africa. AFRICOM announced on September 18 that it had struck a conventional weapons depot belonging to Al-Shabaab in the Sanaag region of Somalia, located about 80 kilometers southwest of Bosaso.

The U.S. national defense strategy published in January prioritizes the defense of U.S. territory and the Western Hemisphere. For Africa, the document focuses the mission on preventing safe havens that allow jihadist groups to directly threaten U.S. territory, while calling for greater contributions from regional partners.

The timeline for the transfer, the specific African bases involved, and the number of drones that will remain under AFRICOM are not publicly available. In its statement on the strike in Somalia on September 18, AFRICOM noted that it does not disclose the units or assets used for operational security reasons.