Ethiopia is reportedly preparing to withdraw more than 3,000 troops from Somalia as fighting in northern Ethiopia puts growing pressure on the federal military.
Bloomberg reported that the withdrawal could begin within days or weeks, potentially freeing up troops for deployment elsewhere as the conflict in the north expands.
A Somali defense ministry official said the government in Mogadishu had not yet been formally informed of the move, and Addis Ababa has not publicly confirmed the reported withdrawal.
If the withdrawal goes ahead, it would be a clear sign that the war in northern Ethiopia is beginning to affect the country’s wider military commitments across the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia made a similar move during the 2020–2022 Tigray war, when troops were pulled from Somalia and redirected to the northern front.
A large-scale redeployment now could strengthen federal forces at home, but it could also create new security challenges for Somalia at a sensitive moment in its fight against al-Shabaab.
