Security forces
Djibouti's military in Somalia since 2011
Djibouti became the third country to send troops to the AU mission in Somalia when an advance party landed in Mogadishu on 20 December 2011, with about 800 more to follow. Its contingent later served in Hiiraan, around Beledweyne and Bulo Burde, and in Galgaduud. Djibouti was allotted 1,520 troops in AUSSOM in 2025, and in March 2026 its 13th battalion took over from the 11th in Beledweyne and Bulo Burde.
In short
Djibouti, Somalia's small neighbour to the north-west, has had troops in the AU missions in Somalia since December 2011. It also hosted the Arta conference of 2000 and the Djibouti talks of 2008 (see Transitional governments, 2000 to 2012). This page records what the sources report about its forces. It is part of Foreign forces in Somalia.
Arrival, December 2011
On 20 December 2011 an advance party of 100 Djiboutian soldiers landed at Mogadishu airport, according to an AMISOM statement, which said "a further 800 troops will follow" within about a week; a Somali security officer had earlier said 200 had arrived. They were to be based at Al Jazeera IV in southern Mogadishu. AMISOM's deputy commander, Brigadier General Audace Nduwumunsi, called it "a great step forward". With the Burundian and Ugandan forces already there, numbering 9,800, the deployment was to bring AMISOM to 10,700. Al-Shabaab said the Djiboutian soldiers would be "ineffective" (AFP via Terra Daily, 20 December 2011). The Long War Journal reported "over 200" troops that day (Long War Journal, 20 December 2011).
Hiiraan and Galgaduud
Djibouti's contingent later moved to Hiiraan, where Wikipedia shows it on patrol at Beledweyne and firing on al-Shabaab near Bulo Burde. Wikipedia records its area as Hiiraan and Galgaduud (Wikipedia, Djibouti Armed Forces). AMISOM listed Djibouti's contingent at 960 troops (see AMISOM).
In AUSSOM
Djibouti was allotted 1,520 troops in the AUSSOM mission that began in 2025. In March 2026 its 13th battalion, under Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Aden Abdullahi, arrived at Beledweyne's Ugaas Khalif airport to replace the 11th battalion under Colonel Mohamed Omar Said, whose tour had covered Beledweyne, Dhusamareb and Bulo Burde. Part of the new battalion moved on to Bulo Burde. The mission said the outgoing troops had helped take several areas from al-Shabaab in Hiiraan and Galmudug (AUSSOM, 16 March 2026). See State forces of Galmudug, Hirshabelle and South West.
Sources differ
- First arrivals, 20 December 2011. 100 (AMISOM statement), 200 (a Somali security officer) or over 200 (Long War Journal).
- Size of the contingent. About 900 planned in 2011 (AMISOM); 960 in AMISOM's listing; 1,520 allotted in AUSSOM; Wikipedia's infobox gives a larger figure of 3,500 under ATMIS.
Read the primary sources yourself
- AFP via Terra Daily, "First Djibouti troops join AU Somalia force" (2011): article.
- AUSSOM, "Djibouti's Battalion 13 deploys to Somalia under AUSSOM" (2026): article.
Sources
- AFP via Terra Daily, 20 December 2011 · terradaily.com
- Long War Journal, 20 December 2011 · longwarjournal.org
- Wikipedia, Djibouti Armed Forces · en.wikipedia.org
- AUSSOM, 16 March 2026 · au-ssom.org
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