MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – A 16-member Egyptian Armed Forces delegation arrived in Mogadishu on Sunday for a reconnaissance mission ahead of a planned deployment to the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The delegation, led by Maj. Gen. Islam Radwan, Egypt’s Deputy Commander of the Second Field Army, was welcomed at Mogadishu airport by AUSSOM and Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) officers.
According to AUSSOM, the delegation later met with mission leaders, including SRCC and Head of Mission Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, and attended a security briefing at the AUSSOM Force Headquarters.
“The delegation will also inspect key facilities for deployment & logistics of Egyptian troops in Mogadishu and in the field,” AUSSOM said in a statement.
Egypt is reportedly planning to send up to 10,000 troops to Somalia, with 5,000 soldiers joining a new African Union peacekeeping force at the end of 2024 and another 5,000 to be deployed separately.
Analysts warn the deployment could heighten regional tensions.
The ongoing Ethiopia–Egypt dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has already strained bilateral relations.
Ethiopia, which has historically played a major role in Somali security, may view the Egyptian presence as a challenge to its influence.
Meanwhile, Somali regional states could perceive the foreign deployment with suspicion, increasing the risk of political friction or local instability.
A 16-member Egyptian Armed Forces delegation arrived in Mogadishu today for a reconnaissance mission before deploying a military contingent to AUSSOM.
Led by Maj. Gen. Islam Radwan, the delegation was welcomed by AUSSOM & Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) officers. They later… pic.twitter.com/xETjVqo7F0
— AUSSOM (@aussom_) August 31, 2025