Colonel Ali Abshir of the Somali National Army, currently defending the Gedo region, declared that any attempt to deploy Egyptian forces would be met with resistance
The Gedo regional authorities in Somalia have strongly opposed the African Union’s (AU) plans to deploy Egyptian forces as part of the new African Union Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), set to begin in January 2025.
Under Jubaland State, the regional authorities have vowed to resist any attempts to bring Egyptian forces into the region.
Colonel Ali Abshir of the Somali National Army, currently defending the Gedo region, declared that any attempt to deploy Egyptian forces would be met with resistance.
“Anyone trying to do that, or bring in Egyptian forces, we will fight the same way we fought against the terror group Al-Shabaab,” said Colonel Abshir.
He criticized Egypt for its lack of support during Somalia’s crises, suggesting that Egypt’s interest in Somalia only emerged after tensions with Ethiopia escalated over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
“We will not allow anyone to use us as a proxy to create conflict and threaten the security of our neighbors. Ethiopia is our neighbor and will remain so,” he added, emphasizing the strong ties between Somalia and Ethiopia, particularly in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
Gedo regional officials, including Ali Juba, the spokesperson for Jubaland State, reiterated the region’s peaceful coexistence with Ethiopia.
“There are some who are trying to create conflict. Our families live here. Nobody wants to bring trouble to the homestead where their mothers, wives, and children live. Egypt should not use us as a pretext to attack Ethiopia,” said Juba.
Earlier this month, the AU Peace and Security Council announced that Djibouti and Egypt had offered to join the AUSSOM mission, which will replace the current African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) by January 1, 2025.
Egypt has been at odds with Ethiopia over the Nile water dispute, particularly concerning the construction of the GERD.
Last week, Egypt and Somalia announced that they had signed a defense pact to strengthen security cooperation after bilateral talks between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Somalia sees the pact as a testament to a common defense against international terrorism.
Historically, Egypt has been accused of using Somalia as a proxy battlefield against Ethiopia, dating back to conflicts in 1964, 1977, and the 1990s.
The Gedo regional authorities warned that their region would not become another battleground for a proxy war and urged Egypt to focus on helping its immediate neighbors, such as Palestine, instead.
Similar opposition is expected from other Somali regions, fearing that the deployment of Egyptian forces could lead to further instability.
