AU, Somalia Nod To 2,500 Ethiopian Troops On The Ground Under AUSSOM

Cairo to contribute 1,091 troops

The African Union and the Somali government have given the nod to the deployment of 2,500 Ethiopian troops under the new peacekeeping mission in the troubled coastal nation.

Egypt is also set to contribute close to 1,100 troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), according to a new UN Security Council report.

The total number of military personnel approved to take part in AUSSOM, which officially began in January, is just short of 12,000, excluding police officers and other security forces. Uganda will contribute the largest number of troops at 4,500 while Djibouti and Kenya are slated to send 1,520 and 1,410 peacekeepers.

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The final composition of troops joining AUSSOM has been confirmed by the Somalia Operations Coordination Committee (SOCC), which is in charge of the peacekeeping mission.

AUSSOM replaced the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) at the beginning of this year but remains constrained by funding issues despite backing from the AU and UN. A report from August 2024 indicates that less than 13,000 of the 20,000 troops taking part in ATMIS remain on the ground in Somalia.

AUSSOM is scheduled to operate until the end of 2028.

The latest peacekeeping mission in Somalia is the first to feature Egyptian military personnel, as ATMIS drew troops from Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, Djibouti, and Uganda. Cairo’s participation indicates deepening ties with Mogadishu, prompted by a year-long standoff with Ethiopia over a controversial maritime access deal with breakaway Somaliland.

Apart from the troops under AUSSOM, several hundred police personnel from Egypt, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone are set to be deployed in Mogadishu, Jowhar, and Baidoa, according to the UN report.

A statement from Somalia’s national security advisor indicates that Joint military operations between the AUSSOM and Somalia national army are already underway.

The developments come following a recent surge in attacks conducted by Al-Shabaab, including an attack on the convoy of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and a renewed offensive against the fundamentalist group that has seen airstrikes carried out by both the US and Ethiopian air forces.

“The Ethiopian Air Force, in coordination with the Somali government, struck multiple Al-Shabaab positions in Middle Shabelle in March, while Ethiopian National Defense Forces were deployed near Ferfer for planned operations. Since US President Donald Trump assumed office in January, there has been a significant increase in US airstrikes targeting Al-Shabaab militants. Additionally, the US and the United Arab Emirates have carried out multiple airstrikes on IS-Somalia strongholds, supporting operations led by Puntland state forces,” reads the April 2025 UN Security Council report.

It notes that, despite efforts by Somali security forces, Al-Shabaab remains a serious threat in the region spurred on by ongoing clan rivalries, political discord, and societal divisions.

“These fractures reportedly have weakened the government’s defenses, allowing Al-Shabaab to exploit internal divisions and expand its influence,” reads the report.