Egypt Identifies Military Bases in Somalia Ahead of Troop Deployment

The Egyptian Defence Forces have identified various Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Somalia ahead of the deployment of its troops, who will be serving in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), as African countries assist in the state-building process.

Several key towns were identified by the technical committee of the Egyptian army, which visited the Horn of Africa nation last week, as part of its evaluation of the environment, climate, and community interaction for the Egyptian forces.

According to multiple sources, the Egyptian forces will be stationed in Bal’ad, Jowhar, Burane, and Mahaday – currently manned by Burundian peacekeepers operating in the Middle Shabelle region.

Their presence in Somalia has been met with mixed reactions, including resistance by the Ethiopian authorities, who maintain that Egypt's presence would significantly derail the fight against Al-Shabaab militants in the country.

Egypt and Ethiopia, who will now play a role in Somalia’s stabilization process, are embroiled in a bitter diplomatic spat over the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) along the Blue Nile River, which is set to be commissioned on Tuesday (today).

The northern African country joins Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, and Kenya in the peacekeeping mission. Recently, the AUSSOM downsized its military presence in Somalia, with the local troops expected to take over security responsibilities from the foreign troops.

Despite the push to have locals take over security responsibilities, experts argue that the government does not have the capacity to deal with Alshabaab fighters. The group seized strategic towns of Moqokori, Adan Yabaal, and Mahas from the local forces.

The al-Shabaab fighters always target the Forward Operating Bases within the country, and in the past, the group has managed to overrun a few of them — including El-Adde and Kulbiyow Forward Operating Bases manned by the Kenya Defence Forces, killing several soldiers.

GAROWE ONLINE