Ethiopia deploys 2,500 troops under new AU mission to fight al-Shabaab

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Saturday April 5, 2025

FILE - Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) troops parade during a medal ceremony at Mahas Forward Operating Base in Beledweyne, Somalia, on August 21, 2024. / ATMIS

Mogadishu (HOL) — The African Union and the Somali federal government have authorized the deployment of 2,500 Ethiopian troops to join a new peacekeeping force in Somalia to bolster the fight against the militant group Al-Shabaab.

The troops will serve under the African Union Support Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM, officially launched in January and will operate until the end of 2028. Under a United Nations Security Council resolution passed late last year, AUSSOM’s mandate focuses on supporting Somali security forces, especially in areas reclaimed from Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida-linked insurgent group. Fewer than 12,626 total troops are authorized—down from ATMIS’s larger deployment—reflecting Somalia’s growing insistence on overseeing foreign military involvement within its borders.

Uganda is contributing the largest contingent with 4,500 troops, while Egypt is expected to send around 1,100. Djibouti and Kenya are also joining the mission with 1,520 and 1,410 peacekeepers, respectively. The troop composition was confirmed by the Somalia Operations Coordination Committee (SOCC), which oversees the deployment of peacekeeping forces.

A UN Security Council report noted that as of August 2024, fewer than 13,000 ATMIS troops were still on the ground in Somalia.

Ethiopia’s participation was briefly in doubt after it signed a controversial memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, granting Addis Ababa access to Somaliland’s Red Sea coastline in exchange for potential recognition of its independence. Somalia initially opposed Ethiopia’s role in AUSSOM, citing sovereignty concerns, but reversed course following Turkish-brokered talks, culminating in the Ankara Declaration.

In addition to military personnel, several hundred police officers from Egypt, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone will be stationed in key cities such as Mogadishu, Jowhar, and Baidoa to support local law enforcement and stabilization efforts.

Egypt’s troop deployment—part of a broader defence accord that could ultimately station up to 10,000 Egyptian personnel in Somalia—further illustrates shifting power dynamics in the Horn of Africa. Egyptian officials say their mission is to help stabilize Somalia, but analysts point to the long-standing rivalry between Egypt and Ethiopia. Disputes over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Cairo views as a threat to its water security, have pushed Egypt to seek stronger alliances across East Africa. By establishing a more direct military presence in Somalia, Egypt gains strategic leverage, particularly as Ethiopia vies for port access and maritime influence in the region.

Somalia’s government has taken a firm stance on negotiating the terms of foreign military presence. Officials say recent bilateral deals have secured enough troops to reach the 11,000 threshold set for AUSSOM, even if certain partners pulled out. Somalia’s sovereignty concerns also drive its demands that any country deploying troops fully respect federal authority. While Ethiopia previously fielded more than 20,000 personnel under ATMIS, Mogadishu has insisted that future foreign deployments be subject to clear agreements—like the new Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) for Ethiopia—designed to safeguard Somali interests.

Funding remains a central concern. A hybrid model relies on both United Nations assessments—capped at 75 percent—and contributions from the African Union and international partners. U.S. officials have raised questions about exceeding that threshold, reflecting broader worries about mission sustainability. Meanwhile, the European Union, Turkey, and China continue to offer financial or logistical assistance.

Somalia is also dealing with internal divisions among federal states, many of which rely on foreign troop support for local security. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration maintains that a more “Somali-led” approach to peacekeeping will strengthen government institutions and eventually pave the way for fully independent security operations.

According to Somalia's national security adviser, joint operations involving AUSSOM troops and Somali national forces are underway. These missions are targeting areas still under the control of Al-Shabaab, which continues to pose a serious threat to Somalia’s fragile security landscape.

Despite nearly two decades of international involvement, Al-Shabaab retains a foothold in parts of southern and central Somalia. The group has orchestrated high-profile attacks, including an assault targeting a convoy accompanying Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in mid-March. The uptick in violence has reignited counteroffensives against the militant group, including airstrikes carried out by U.S., Turkish and Ethiopian forces.

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