Why Foreign Forces Are Playing a Bigger Role in Somalia – THISDAYLIVE

Freddie Grounds

Somalia’s struggle in opposition to Al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia is more and more drawing army help from overseas international locations, with troop deployments, airstrikes, coaching and defence partnerships changing into essential elements of the nation’s safety operations.

Recent army actions in the Lower Shabelle area, alongside elevated United States airstrikes, level to a rising sample of worldwide involvement in Somalia’s marketing campaign in opposition to rebel teams.

In March 2026, Somali National Army forces, supported by the Ugandan contingent of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and different worldwide companions, introduced the recapture of Mubarak and Daarusalaam in Lower Shabelle.

Further operations in April focused extra rebel positions, with AUSSOM reporting air help and coordinated floor operations.

The developments spotlight how Somalia’s army marketing campaign is more and more depending on cooperation between its nationwide forces, African Union troops and overseas army companions.

The United States stays one of many nation’s main worldwide safety companions, notably via its counterterrorism air marketing campaign.

On October 17, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed an airstrike focusing on Al-Shabaab close to Dhooble Airport in southern Somalia.

AFRICOM’s printed register recorded 88 airstrikes in Somalia throughout 2026 on the time of writing, focusing on each Al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia.

The sustained air marketing campaign displays Washington’s continued involvement in efforts to weaken rebel teams and help Somalia’s safety operations. However, the figures don’t set up that US plane straight supported each profitable floor operation.

Türkiye has additionally expanded its army relationship with Somalia via defence cooperation, coaching and the deployment of F-16 fighter plane, publicly demonstrated in April 2026.

Although the deployment demonstrates Ankara’s rising army engagement, there isn’t any established proof that Turkish fight plane participated in the particular operations in Lower Shabelle. Beyond air energy and army coaching, overseas troop deployments have gotten one other important function of Somalia’s safety technique.

According to The EastAfrican, Uganda is estimated to have between 4,000 and 6,000 troops deployed in Somalia underneath bilateral preparations, in addition to its roughly 4,500 personnel allotted to AUSSOM. Ethiopia can also be reported to have about 5,000 bilateral troops in the nation, alongside its 2,500-person allocation to the African Union mission.

These figures are estimates somewhat than independently verified troop totals. The rising presence of those forces raises an essential distinction between bilateral army preparations and the African Union’s multilateral safety framework.

AUSSOM gives an organised platform for African international locations to contribute troops in the direction of stabilisation and the strengthening of Somali safety establishments. Bilateral deployments, however, function via direct agreements between particular person international locations and the Somali authorities. While they could complement the AU mission, their command buildings, operational priorities and help preparations should not essentially an identical.

This rising method has been described because the ‘bilateralisation’ of the conflict in opposition to Al-Shabaab, reflecting the growing function of particular person international locations in offering troops and direct army help exterior the formal AU framework. International involvement additionally extends past typical army forces.

Photographs printed by The EastAfrican following operations in Lower Shabelle confirmed Somali and Ugandan troops alongside personnel from Bancroft Global Development, a contractor concerned in coaching and mentoring Somali forces. The presence of the organisation illustrates how specialist army help is more and more positioned near frontline operations, though it doesn’t set up that its personnel participated in fight.

There are clear operational causes behind Somalia’s rising reliance on overseas army companions. Additional troops can present manpower for operations, whereas airstrikes can weaken rebel positions and create alternatives for floor forces to advance. Intelligence sharing, army coaching and logistical help can even strengthen the capabilities of Somali forces.

However, the involvement of a number of worldwide companions presents coordination challenges. Different international locations could function underneath separate agreements, with various command preparations, operational priorities and help buildings. Their presence doesn’t mechanically set up a unified army command or show that each one operations are collectively deliberate. There can also be the query of how lengthy Somalia can maintain its safety marketing campaign with important exterior army help.

Reclaiming territory from insurgents is just one a part of the problem. Maintaining management requires safe provide routes, succesful Somali safety personnel, functioning native administration and public confidence in authorities establishments. Without these, rebel teams could exploit safety gaps and try and return to beforehand recovered communities.

The way forward for AUSSOM is due to this fact central to discussions about Somalia’s safety preparations. Its authorised power must be distinguished from the variety of troops truly deployed and out there for operations. Egypt’s participation was already being ready in February 2026, whereas any additional enlargement of the mission must be assessed in opposition to confirmed choices somewhat than reported proposals. Ultimately, Somalia’s rising army partnerships replicate the size of the safety problem confronting the nation.

Foreign troops, US airstrikes, Turkish defence cooperation and African Union operations are offering extra help to the Somali authorities in its marketing campaign in opposition to Al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia. But the larger query is whether or not these partnerships might help Somalia develop the army capability and establishments wanted to safe its territory independently.

The expertise of 2026 reveals that overseas forces are enjoying an more and more essential function in Somalia’s struggle in opposition to insurgency. The lasting success of that involvement, nevertheless, will rely not merely on the variety of troops deployed or airstrikes carried out, however on whether or not the help interprets into sustainable safety for the nation.

* Lieutenant Colonel Grounds (rtd) writes from Kenya