The African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia is facing a critical shortfall, with military officials calling for an urgent deployment of 8,000 additional troops following Burundi’s expected withdrawal.
The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), charged with countering the Al-Shabaab insurgency, is confronting renewed militant activity that threatens regional stability. Burundi’s departure, reportedly triggered by a dispute with Mogadishu over troop equipment, would slash the mission’s manpower by nearly 20 percent, according to diplomatic sources cited by AFP.
Military chiefs from troop-contributing countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Burundi, met in Kampala and joined Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in appealing for greater international support and funding. AUSSOM’s planned deployment of 11,900 troops has stalled amid a significant funding shortfall.
The officials warned that bolstering troop strength is essential to stem the growing momentum of Al-Shabaab, which has exploited recent AU troop withdrawals to retake key areas in central and southern Somalia. The insurgents have swiftly moved into towns vacated by peacekeepers, capitalizing on the security vacuum left as AU forces scale back from a peak strength of 22,000.
Troop-contributing countries criticized the pace of the drawdown, describing it as premature and poorly timed. Their remarks indirectly challenge the Somali government’s 2023 claim that its national forces were ready to take over full security responsibilities.
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