The Ethiopian government has expressed concern over the possible deployment of Egyptian armed forces to Somalia as part of a new African Union mission, the Shabelle Media Network reported on August 28.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Ethiopian officials accused Somalia of colluding with outside forces, particularly Egypt, which has recently stepped up its military presence in Somalia. This came a day after two Egyptian military transport planes landed at the airport in Mogadishu, the Somali capital.
Ethiopia said the new African Union mission, which will replace the current ATMIS, poses a threat to the security and stability of the Horn of Africa region.
“Replacing ATMIS with a new mission in Somalia could pose many threats to the region. We cannot tolerate actions that undermine the security of the region.”Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
In January 2025, the African Union Interim Force in Somalia (ATMIS) army will be replaced by new troops called the African Union Stabilisation and Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). AUSSOM is expected to include a military contingent from Egypt.
Somali authorities are insisting on the withdrawal of Ethiopian armed forces belonging to ATMIS from Somalia due to a controversial agreement between Addis Ababa and Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia.
Tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Renaissance Dam also need to be taken into account.
Source: Rossa Primavera
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.