CAIRO (KAAB TV) – The Egyptian government is finalising plans to deploy military personnel to Somalia as part of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
A 16-member delegation of officers from the Egyptian Armed Forces arrived in Mogadishu this week to conduct reconnaissance ahead of the deployment.
The mission, created pursuant to a United Nations Security Council authorisation, replaced the earlier African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and is tasked with stabilising Somalia, combating the extremist group al‑Shabaab, and transferring security responsibility to Somali forces.
According to Egyptian officials, deployment preparations have been completed and the troops will join the mission in coordination with the Somali government.
Egypt emphasises that its contribution comes at the request of the Somali government and with the approval of the African Union Peace and Security Council.
The move is being watched closely by Ethiopia, which has long-standing disputes with Egypt, particularly over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and regional influence.
Ethiopia has expressed discomfort at the prospect of Egyptian troops in Somalia.
In September 2025, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that there would be no “proxy war” in Somalia between Egypt and Ethiopia, noting that their forces will operate hundreds of kilometres apart.
While earlier reports suggested Egypt might commit up to around 10,000 troops, more recent information places its contribution at approximately 1,091 personnel, in line with the AU mission’s total force target of about 11,900.