The Government of Somalia Issues a Warning that Ethiopia…

Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – The Somali government warned on Thursday that the ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia could undermine the African Union's mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which supports the government forces in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, Ali Mohamed Omar (Ali Balcad), stated in an interview with TRT World that the security of both countries is interconnected. He noted that they share a long border, and there is a longstanding social, economic, and historical relationship between them.

Balcad mentioned that prolonged instability in Addis Ababa could force it to recall some of its troops from AUSSOM, or it could limit the support those troops provide to the Somali forces.

The minister also warned that the conflicts in Ethiopia could directly affect Somalis living in the Somali Regional State, which shares a border with Somalia.

The Role of Ethiopian Forces

Ethiopia is among the countries with the largest number of troops in AUSSOM. The agreement reached between the Somali government and the African Union in February 2025 allocated 2,500 soldiers to Ethiopia. Uganda, Djibouti, Kenya, and Egypt also had quotas in that plan.

Ethiopia has sent additional troops to Somalia under a bilateral agreement. The African Union Peace and Security Council commended Ethiopia and Uganda in February 2026 for the additional troops they temporarily deployed to Somalia.

In September, new Ethiopian troops took over the bases in Beledweyne and Halgan in the fourth sector of AUSSOM. They replaced troops that had been operating in those two locations for three years.

If Ethiopia reduces its troops, additional pressure may fall on the Somali forces, as the federal government and the African Union work to gradually transfer security responsibilities to the country's institutions.

The AUSSOM operation, which will replace the ATMIS operation in early 2025, also assists Somali forces in securing cities and critical infrastructure, such as ports and airports. The African Union has previously called for the withdrawal of Burundian troops to coincide with the arrival of Egyptian forces to avoid a security vacuum.

Fighting in Ethiopia

The warning from Balcad came after the conflict between the federal government of Ethiopia and the forces led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) reignited in September. The fighting has shattered the Pretoria agreement of 2022, which had ended a two-year conflict.

Ethiopian government forces and allied troops retook Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, in early October after TPLF forces withdrew from there.

Violence is also ongoing in the Amhara region. At least 15 people, including children, were killed on October 29 in airstrikes carried out by drones on the Jari 2 displacement camp, according to participants in the rescue efforts, as reported by Reuters. The identity of those who carried out the attack is still unclear.

Ethiopia and Eritrea severed their diplomatic ties in early October. Witnesses told Reuters that they saw Eritrean soldiers in northern Ethiopia during the conflict. Eritrea has denied that its troops entered Ethiopia.