Egypt prepares to deploy troops in Somalia
Story by Addis Standard
Egypt is preparing to deploy troops to Somalia under a bilateral military cooperation agreement before transferring approximately 1,000 personnel into the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), raising concerns over operational coordination and command structures.
According to The East African report on 25 October, the initial deployment is expected to comprise a brigade-sized battle group with support elements in Middle Shabelle, north of Mogadishu. A tactical headquarters is planned at Ceelcade, near Ciciley airfield, an area currently held by Burundian AU troops. Additional Egyptian forces could be stationed elsewhere at Somalia’s request, although Cairo has not disclosed the full size of its deployment.
The African Union has yet to publicly clarify how the bilateral force will coordinate with AUSSOM and other contingents. Burundi’s troops, which receive logistical support through the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), have reportedly not been formally notified of the proposed arrangements and have indicated they will not operate under a bilateral command structure. They are prepared to withdraw once replaced.
Egypt was allocated approximately 1,091 troops under AUSSOM in late 2024 but delayed formal participation, citing funding constraints. Deploying under a bilateral agreement before integration raises questions over command authority, accountability, logistics and potential operational overlap.
Egypt and Somalia signed a military cooperation agreement in August 2024, followed by Egyptian shipments of weapons, ammunition and armoured vehicles, as well as military training and advisory support.
In August 2025, Somalia’s Defence Ministry announced the completion of specialised training for Egyptian units intended for AUSSOM. A 16-member Egyptian military reconnaissance delegation visited Mogadishu the following month to assess deployment sites and logistics. Addis Standard previously reported on preparations for the deployment, including troop movements and site work at Ceelcade, as formal integration remained delayed by funding and logistical challenges.
The planned deployment comes as AUSSOM faces financial and operational pressures while supporting Somali forces against Al-Shabaab. Uncertainty over logistical support through UNSOS, amid questions about continued US funding, has further complicated the mission’s sustainability.
The move also carries regional implications amid longstanding tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile waters and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), alongside competing interests in Red Sea access.
Ethiopia has recently withdrawn some troops from Somalia, while analysts warn that competing security partnerships could complicate operations and draw Somalia’s security arrangements into wider regional rivalries.
Observers are cautioning against the absence of a clear public framework for coordinating bilateral forces with AUSSOM and its impact about command, accountability and the transition from existing contingents
