Tuesday August 11, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Ethiopian troops serving with the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) have withdrawn from Buurhakaba district in the Bay region, handing control of a strategic military base to the Somali National Army.
The African Union mission AUSSOM, said Aug. 8 that it had formally transferred technical control of the Buurhakaba Forward Operating Base to Somalia's 60th Division, with logistical support from the United Nations Support Office in Somalia.
AUSSOM described the handover as another step in Somalia's gradual assumption of responsibility for its own security, with the Somali government taking greater control of military operations and strategic locations.
Buurhakaba is strategically important because of its location in Bay region along the road linking Baidoa, the capital of South West State, and Mogadishu. The area has also been a focus of military operations against al-Shabab.
The withdrawal of Ethiopian forces raises questions about whether Somali troops can independently secure strategic areas where foreign forces have maintained a presence for years, particularly as al-Shabab continues to operate in parts of southern and central Somalia.
The transfer is part of AUSSOM's broader plan to gradually hand security responsibilities to Somali forces. But the African Union mission faces significant financial and operational challenges, with officials warning that inadequate funding could limit its ability to carry out its mandate.
The handover also comes as Somalia and international partners debate the future of AUSSOM and the extent of international logistical and financial support needed to sustain military operations against al-Shabab.
