Egypt is preparing to deploy troops to Somalia, reports say
Advisers, trainers and officers are expected to be based near Celkad in Mogadishu.
Regional security and defence reports say Egyptian military technical teams, including advisers, trainers and officers, are preparing to deploy to Somalia.
The deployment is described as a natural step within the growing bilateral security and defence co-operation between the two countries, and Egypt’s participation in the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia.
Egypt has not officially said how many troops it plans to send, but the forces are expected to be based in the Celkad area of northern Mogadishu, in Middle Shabelle.
An Egyptian military delegation visited Mogadishu on 20 September and met the Somali defence minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi. If confirmed, the deployment would be the largest expansion of Egypt’s military presence in Somalia since the bilateral military co-operation agreement signed in 2024.
