Burundi To Withdraw Troops from Somalia After 18 Years Over AUSSOM Dispute

Burundi has officially begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia after 18 years of service under the African Union’s peacekeeping mission. The decision follows a disagreement over troop allocations within the newly structured African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

Negotiations between the Federal Government of Somalia and Burundi’s leadership failed to reach a consensus after Bujumbura requested a larger share of the AUSSOM forces. With its request denied, Burundi opted to withdraw its troops, marking the end of its long-standing involvement in Somalia’s security operations.

Burundi was the second country to deploy troops to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in 2007, following Uganda. Over the years, Burundian forces played a crucial role in operations across regions such as Banaadir and Middle Shabelle. However, their deployment came at a cost, with hundreds of Burundian soldiers losing their lives in combat.

As Burundi exits, Egypt is set to step in and deploy troops as part of the new AUSSOM force. Egypt has extensive experience in peacekeeping missions across multiple countries and will now contribute to stabilizing Somalia.

Under the new AUSSOM structure, 11,021 troops from five African nations will be deployed as follows:

Uganda: 4,500 troops

Ethiopia: 2,500 troops

Kenya: 1,410 troops

Djibouti: 1,520 troops

Egypt: 1,091 troops

Uganda remains the largest troop contributor, maintaining its role as the first country to send peacekeeping forces to Somalia. The restructuring of AUSSOM aligns with Somalia’s broader security transition, aimed at gradually transferring responsibility to Somali forces.