MOGADISHU — Somali special forces have completed an advanced military training programme in Egypt, the latest step in deepening defence cooperation between Mogadishu and Cairo as Somalia works to build a more capable and self-reliant national army.
The training covered commando operations, counterterrorism, urban warfare and parachute operations. Brigadier General Adan Mohamed Omar, Commander of the Somali National Army Special Forces Command, attended the closing ceremony and urged the troops to apply the skills gained during the programme in their national duties.
Somalia’s acting ambassador to Egypt, Abdihakim Ahmed Mohamed, military attaché Brigadier General Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, and the commander of Egypt’s Airborne Forces were also present at the ceremony.
A Deepening Defence Partnership
The training programme is part of a broader military cooperation framework between Somalia and Egypt that has expanded significantly over the past two years. The two countries elevated their relations to a strategic partnership in January 2025 and subsequently signed a defence agreement and a military cooperation protocol, as detailed in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the Somalia-Egypt strategic partnership.
In February 2026, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Cairo, where Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s firm support for Somalia’s unity, security and territorial integrity, warning against any actions that could undermine the country’s stability or violate its sovereignty, as reported in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the Cairo visit.
During that visit, President Mohamud observed the line-up of Egyptian forces participating in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), reflecting Egypt’s commitment to deploying troops as part of the mission, as detailed in FTL Somalia’s report on the deployment preparations. Egypt has pledged forces for the mission, with officials saying the contingent would be deployed in the Middle Shabelle region.
Egypt’s military involvement in Somalia has grown to include approximately 10,000 personnel, helicopters and drones, making Cairo the most significant land-based military ally for Mogadishu alongside Türkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Special Forces as a Priority
The completion of the training in Egypt comes as Somalia prioritises the development of specialised units capable of conducting complex operations against Al-Shabaab. The Danab Special Forces, trained with US support at the Balli-doogle base, have been at the forefront of offensive operations, as reported in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the Danab graduation.
Additional batches continue to graduate from the General Hassan Tuure Military Training School, as detailed in FTL Somalia’s report on the training programme.
Specialised units are expected to remain a critical component of Somalia’s security strategy, particularly in counterterrorism operations and missions requiring advanced combat and mobility skills. The training in Egypt adds a new dimension to Somalia’s efforts, diversifying its sources of military expertise beyond its traditional partners.
Critical Note
The completion of advanced training for Somali special forces in Egypt reflects the growing depth of the Somalia-Egypt defence relationship, which has expanded rapidly since the strategic partnership was declared in early 2025. For Somalia, Egypt offers something its traditional partners do not: a large, experienced military with a proven track record in counterinsurgency and special operations, and a willingness to share that expertise directly.
However, the strategic logic behind Egypt’s engagement in Somalia is not purely altruistic. Cairo’s rivalry with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and its opposition to any Ethiopian naval presence on the Red Sea are central drivers of its Somalia policy. By building military ties with Mogadishu, Egypt gains influence in a country that sits at the southern gateway of the Red Sea, directly countering Ethiopian ambitions. For Somalia, this alignment brings tangible security benefits, but it also embeds the country more deeply in a regional rivalry that could complicate its relations with other partners.
The practical question is whether the training Somali forces receive in Egypt, or from any partner, translates into sustained operational capability. Somalia’s security challenges are not primarily about the quality of individual soldiers, but about the institutional capacity of the army as a whole: command and control, logistics, pay, and retention. Specialised training is valuable, but without a functioning system to absorb and retain those skills, the impact is limited. The government’s own acknowledgment that it faces a difficult task in converting training into lasting operational capability remains the central challenge.
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