The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a multinational force formed by the African Union. The operation deployed to Somalia soon after the Islamic Courts Union was deposed by troops from Ethiopia during a large scale invasion in late 2006. The missions primary objective was to maintain the regime change between the ICU and the newly installed Transitional Federal Government, implement a national security plan and train the TFG security forces. As part of its duties, AMISOM later supported the Federal Government of Somalia in its war against Al-Shabaab. AMISOM was the most deadly peacekeeping operation in the post-war era. AMISOM was created by the African Union's Peace and Security Council on 19 January 2007 with an initial six-month mandate. On 21 February 2007 the United Nations Security Council approved the mission's mandate. Subsequent six-monthly renewals of AMISOM's mandate by the African Union Peace and Security Council have also been authorized by the United Nations Security Council. In March 2007, the first AMISOM troops deployed to Somalia, landing in Mogadishu as fighting was raging between Islamist insurgents and Ethiopian/TFG forces. After four years of intense urban fighting against Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu, during the Battle of Mogadishu (2010–2011) the Uganda People's Defence Force (Army) and Burundian Army forced the militants to withdraw from the capital. In 2014, the Ethiopia was integrated into AMISOM. In the succeeding years 2012-2015 a number of towns in the hinterland were recaptured, though most of the rural clans remained under Al-Shabaab rule. The duration of AMISOM's mandate had been extended in each period that it has been up for review, until it was replaced on April 1, 2022, by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia. On 21 December 2021, the United Nations Security Council reauthorized AMISOM in Somalia for three months. The new mandate ran until 31 March 2022, ahead of a phased handover of responsibilities to Somalia's security forces in early 2023. AMISOM's mandate ended on 31 March 2022, and was replaced by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia.
== Background == During 2005 the Transitional Federal Government was deeply divided over the issue of a possible deployment of foreign troops in Somalia. Various prominent Somali leaders and groups threatened to forcefully oppose such an intervention. The IGAD planned on deploying in March 2005 despite significant opposition, though the operation was cancelled. As early as 25 March 2005 the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), a rising Islamist group fighting warlords in Mogadishu, warned that any foreigner peacekeepers deployed to Somalia would be unwelcome and face death. Faced with the ascendancy of the ICU after taking over the capital in the Battle of Mogadishu between May and June 2006, UN-watchers were growing concerned with the level of hostility of the ICU towards the proposed foreign deployment. The African Union adopted a plan to deploy troops to Somalia on 14 September 2006. Plans for a foreign deployment continued, though the ICU was clearly opposed, as they saw IGASOM as a US/Western means to curb their growth. Until December 2006, the UN Security Council had imposed an arms embargo on the group, but the embargo was partially lifted and a mandate for foreign troops was issued on 6 December 2006 for six months. The African Union's involvement in the war came at the insistence of both Ethiopia and the United States for the organization to take over the role of 'regime changer'. In effect, the newly planned AU military operation in Somalia was an attempt to legitimize the Ethiopian invasion and TFG. According to Cocodia, "AMISOM was more a tool for regime change than it was a peace operation." AMISOM's deployment served as an exit strategy for Ethiopian troops, as their presence was inflaming an insurgency. On 20 February 2007, the United Nations granted authorization for the deployment of a peacekeeping mission by the African Union, known as the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). The mission's stated primary objective was to provide support for a national reconciliation congress in Somalia.
From 2007 to 2009, AMISOM was predominantly composed of troops from Uganda, Burundi, and a few Kenyans. During 2007, the operation relied heavily on Ugandan Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), as Uganda played a crucial role in offering support to the initiation of the mission. By the end of the year, Burundian troops also joined the effort. AMISOM's initial mandate did not permit the use of offensive force, resulting in limited involvement in the conflict between Ethiopian forces and the insurgency. This dynamic led to growing tensions between AMISOM and the ENDF, exacerbated by a lack of transparency from Ethiopia regarding its objectives within Somalia. The European Union was reportedly 'exceptionally unhappy' about the heavy US support for the December invasion, and held back funds for the newly created AMISOM mission for several months.
== Authorization == The African Union Peace and Security Council authorized AMISOM in January 2007, explicitly assuming that it would become a UN mission after six months. On 21 February 2007, the United Nations Security Council authorized the AU to deploy a peacekeeping mission with a mandate of six months. On 20 August 2007, the United Nations Security Council extended the African Union's authorisation to continue deploying AMISOM for a further six months and requested the Secretary-General to explore the option of replacing AMISOM with a United Nations mission to Somalia.
On 31 May 2019, the Security Council unanimously approved United Nations Security Council Resolution 2472, authorising Member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of AMISOM until 31 May 2020, with a reduction of the number of troops to 19,626 by 28 February 2020.
The Security Council decided [on 29 May] to reauthorize the deployment of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) personnel for nine months, requiring them to support security in the lead-up to elections and to work towards the gradual hand-over of responsibility to Somali forces by 2021.
Mission planning
Scope of the mission
IGASOM was expected to eventually reach 8,000 troops, with an expected cost of $335 million for the first year. According to UN Security Council Resolution 1725, states bordering Somalia would not be eligible to deploy troops under IGASOM. The remaining (non-bordering) IGAD member nations include Sudan, Eritrea, and Uganda. Because of the objection of the burden falling on these three nations alone (and the rivalry between Ethiopia and Eritrea), the mission was expanded to include other member states of the African Union. AMISOM has a different composition. As proposed, it comprised an initial three battalions, growing to a total of nine battalions of 850 troops each, which would serve for an initial stabilization period of six months. The mission was to be modelled after the African Union Mission in Burundi (AMIB).
=== ICU resistance === Though IGAD and the ICU met and published a cordial and formal communique committing the ICU to the IGAD plans on 2 December, by the time United Nations Security Council Resolution 1725 was passed on 6 December, the ICU was openly and militantly opposed to peacekeepers entering Somalia, and vowed to treat any peacekeepers as hostile forces. Because of regional divisions, there were also UIC resistance to allowing Ethiopian troops be part of the mission. Ethiopia, for its part, was leery of allowing Eritrean troops to be members of the IGAD peacekeeping force. In the face of ICU threats, Uganda, the only IGAD members who had openly offered to send forces (a battalion), withdrew in the face of concerns of the present feasibility of the mission. In Uganda's defense, the crisis does not allow for peacekeepers when there are active hostilities conducted with heavy weapons (see Battle of Baidoa). On 1 January 2007, after the defeat of the ICU in various battles in December 2006, Uganda again renewed its pledge of a battalion of troops. Between Uganda and Nigeria (which is a Member State of the African Union, but not of Intergovernmental Authority on Development), there was a pledge of a total of 8,000 peacekeepers. Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania were reported to be considering sending forces.
Gathering support
Following the defeat of the Islamic Courts Union in December 2006 – January 2007 the international community began to gather both fiscal commitments as well as military forces for the mission. Nations of the African Union (AU) outside the Intergovernmental Authority on Development community were drawn on to provide support. On 17 January 2007, the US ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, said the US pledged $40 million to support the deployment of a peacekeeping force for Somalia. By 20 January, the European Union followed with a pledge of 15 million euros. On 19 January 2007 the mission was formally defined and approved by the African Union at the 69th meeting of the Peace and Security Council. On 22 January 2007 Malawi agreed to send a half-battalion to a battalion (ranging widely anywhere between approximately 400 to 1,200 troops) for a peacekeeping mission to Somalia. On 24 January 2007 Nigeria pledged a battalion (a force between 770 and 1,100 troops) to join the Somali peacekeeping mission. On 1 February 2007 Burundi committed to the peacekeeping mission, pledging up to 1,000 troops. By 27 March, it was confirmed that 1700 Burundian peacekeepers would be sent to Somalia. On 2 February 2007, the United Nations Security Council welcomed the advent of the African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development-led peacekeeping mission. On 5 February 2007 Tanzania offered to train Somali government troops, but not to deploy peacekeepers. On 9 February 2007 a gathering of 800 Somali demonstrators in north Mogadishu, where Islamist support was strongest, burned U.S., Ethiopian, and Ugandan flags in protest of the proposed peacekeeping mission. A masked representative of the resistance group, the Popular Resistance Movement in the Land of the Two Migrations, said Ethiopian troops would be attacked in their hotels; the same group had made a video warning peacekeepers to avoid coming to Somalia. By this date, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and Burundi had committed to the peacekeeping mission, but the total force was about half of the proposed 8,000-strong force. Uganda had pledged 1,400 troops and some armored vehicles for a mission lasting up to 9 months, and the AU had pledged $11.6 million. On 16 February 2007 Uganda announced it would deploy 1,500 well-seasoned troops as early as Saturday, 17 February 2007 under the command of Major General Levi Karuhanga. Reportedly the troops had been training for two years in preparation for the mission.
== Deployment to Somalia == Days before AMISOM deployed in Somalia, violence in Mogadishu began rapidly escalating. On 6 March 2007, the first African Union troops landed at Mogadishu airport alongside three military vehicles. The Burundian troops were technically ready to go in early August 2007, but equipment promised by the United States and France had not yet arrived. On 23 December 2007, an advance force of 100 Burundians was deployed and another 100 soldiers arrived on 2007-12-24. By late 2008, 1,700 Burundian soldiers were deployed to Mogadishu. On July 28, 2009, the World Health Organization was notified that 21 AMISOM soldiers in Mogadishu had become sick, and three had died, with acute peripheral edema, difficulty in breathing, palpitations, and fever. The WHO, together with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, AMISOM, and the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi began an investigation. From April 26, 2009, to May 1, 2010, 241 AU soldiers had lower limb edema and at least one additional symptom; four patients died. At least 52 soldiers were airlifted to hospitals in Kenya and Uganda. Four of 31 hospitalized patients had right-sided heart failure with pulmonary hypertension. The illness was associated with exclusive consumption of food provided to troops (not eating locally acquired foods). Because the syndrome was clinically compatible with wet beriberi, thiamine was administered to affected soldiers, resulting in rapid and dramatic resolution.
Expanding role
In a closed door meeting in Kampala on 22 July 2010, AU ministers agreed to expand the mission's mandate from a peacekeeping focus to a peace-enforcement focus that would engage al-Shabaab more directly. The decision came soon after deadly bomb attacks in the Ugandan capital. A few days later in response to UN pressure, the AU agreed not to expand the mandate but did allow preemptive strikes against Al-Shabaab and promised more troops from other African countries. On 23 July 2010, Djibouti and Guinea pledged troops to AMISOM. On 17 September 2010, an AU envoy said in Nairobi that AMISOM's size had grown from 6,300 to 7,200 troops after an additional battalion from Uganda joined the force. In December 2010, the UN backed AMISOM in increasing the mission's authorized size to 12,000 – UN Security Council resolution 1964 of 22 December 2010 – and at the same time reports indicated that Uganda had promised an extra 1,800 personnel, with Burundi an extra 850. In March 2011 Burundi sent 1,000 extra soldiers to AMISOM, bringing the total number of Burundi troops deployed to 4,400. AFP, reported in Africa Research Bulletin, said Burundian military chief General Godefroid Niyombare said on 14 March 2011 the soldiers had been deployed a week before. In February 2012, the U.N. Security Council boosted the number of troops deployed from 12,000 to 17,731. The approval comes after a series of recent successes against al-Shabaab fighters who had previous positions throughout the central and southern areas of the country. During the same month, AU Commander Fred Mugisha suggested that Al-Shabaab was "at [its] weakest" and would likely "implode in the not so distant future" owing to successive military defeats that it suffered as well as an exodus toward the Arabian Peninsula of hundreds of the group's fighters. Due to the successful military operations against the Islamists, the United States has also been stepping up efforts to train and equip the AMISOM troops in a bid to stamp out the Al-Shabaab insurgency and limit its influence. In October 2011, the Kenya Defence Forces began Operation Linda Nchi, crossing the border into Somalia to attack Al-Shabaab. On 12 November, the Kenyan government agreed to rehat its forces under AMISOM command, and later announced in March 2012 that it would send 5,000 troops to join AMISOM. The East African reported in March 2012 on reorganisation of AMISOM's headquarters and sector commands. Personnel (J1) would be led by the AU, with Kenya taking responsibility for intelligence (J2) and logistics (J4), Uganda operations (J3) and engineer (J8), Burundi plans (J5) and communications/IS (J6), Sierra Leone training (J7), and Djibouti CIMIC (J9). There would also be four sectors: Uganda responsible for Sector One (the Shabelles and Banadir), Sector Two (the Jubbas) run by Kenya, Sector Three Burundi covering GEdo, Bay, and BAkool, and Sector from which Ethiopia forces were withdrawing from to be directed by Djibouti. On 9 August 2013, an Antonov An-24 operated by the Ethiopian Air Force crashed while attempting to land at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu. There were six crew on board, of which four perished and two survived with injuries. The flight departed from Dire Dawa International Airport in Ethiopia at 06:00 local time that morning, commanded by Colonel Berhanu Geremew, a highly experienced pilot. It was carrying a cargo of weapons and ammunition.
In November 2013, the Ethiopian government announced that it would subordinate its troops in Somalia to AMISOM. The Ethiopian authorities' announcement came a month after a failed October bombing attempt by Al-Shabaab in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, and a week after Ethiopia received a renewed terrorism threat from the insurgent group. According to Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ambassador Dina Mufti, the Ethiopian military's decision to join AMISOM was intended to render the peacekeeping operation more secure. Analysts suggested that the move was primarily motivated by financial considerations, with the Ethiopian forces' operational costs now slated to be under AMISOM's allowance budget. It was hoped that the Ethiopian military's long experience in Somali territory, its equipment such as helicopters, and the potential for closer coordination would help AMISOM and Somali forces advance their territorial gains. On the other hand, there is a certain amount of unease following Ethiopia's entry into AMISOM given local animosity originating from Ethiopia's heavy handed intervention in 2006. There are also fears that Al Shabaab could use Somali animosity towards Ethiopia as a rallying cry and to recruit more members. In December 2013, the U.S. government established a Military Coordination Cell in Mogadishu. The unit consists of a small team of fewer than five advisers, including planners and communicators between AMISOM and the Somali authorities. It was intended to provide consultative and planning support to allied forces in order to enhance their capacity. From June 2021 to March 2022, the EU and its allies reimbursed Kenya nearly Sh2.54 billion, in quarterly disbursements Sh811 million, for its continued military participation in AMISOM. The funding had slowly been decreasing since it began in October 2011, with each soldier taking home only around USD $800 (Sh92,800) in this final installment.
Leadership and command
The head of mission was the special representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission to Somalia, or SRCC. On 7 October 2015, Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira, of Mozambique, was appointed to this position, replacing Maman Sambo Sidikou of Niger.
Force commanders
Deputy Force commanders
Chiefs of Staff
Spokespersons
Force organisation
Sectors
On 15 October 2011 Kenyan forces crossed the border into Somalia to attack al-Shebaab. Subsequently, UN Security Council resolution 2036 of 22 February 2012 authorized an increase in AMISOM troop numbers to 17,731 to incorporate the Kenyans. This resolution took effect from mid-2012. At this time the initial Ugandan and Burundian AMISOM forces had been successful in largely clearing al-Shebaab militants from Mogadishu and the force was organized into new sectors.
Sector 1 (headquartered in Mogadishu and predominantly the domain of the Ugandan Contingent) covered the Banadir, Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle regions. Sector 2 (headquartered in Kismayu and predominantly KDF responsibility, with the anticipated Sierra Leone contingent) covered the Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Juba regions. Sector 3 (headquartered in Baidoa and predominantly the responsibility of the Burundian contingent) covering the Bay and Bakool regions. Sector 4 (headquartered in Belet Weyne and the responsibility of the Djiboutian contingent) covering the Hiraan region. Later, UN Security Council resolution 2124 of 12 November 2013 authorized a troop increase to 22,126 through inclusion of an Ethiopian contingent. This took effect in January 2014, when the Sector organisation was modified to:
Sector 1 (Mogadishu: Banadir and Lower Shabelle regions) – UPDF contingent Sector 2 (Dobhey: Lower and Middle Juba regions) – KDF contingent, with the Sierra Leone contingent operating in a 'Sector Kismayu' until these forces left. During January 2016 Ethiopian troops deployed to Kismayo. Sector 3 (Baidoa: Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions) – Ethiopian contingent Sector 4 (Belet Weyne: Hiiraan region) – Djiboutian contingent Sector 5 (Jowhar: Middle Shabelle region) – Burundi contingent In January 2017 Kismayo was mentioned as a separate sector – Sector 6 – under Colonel Paul Njema. On 22 November 2017 AMISOM's twitter feed announced that Colonel Fréderic Ndayisaba of Burundi was replacing Colonel Paul K Njema of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) as Sector 6 Commander and described this command as a multinational sector composed of Burundian, Kenyan and Ethiopian troops based in Kismayo.
Contingents
==== Ugandan contingents ==== a. Commanders
b. Battle groups From the first deployment of Ugandan troops during March 2007—which saw a contingent of two battalions sent to Mogadishu—the UPDF contribution to AMISOM had by 2015 expanded to three battle groups, each of two or three battalions. The following table lists what details are known of the Ugandan battle groups, or 'Ugabag', deployed under AMISOM. The information presented has been collected from Ugandan press reports (largely gleaned from the website 'Allafrica.com') and news reports on the AMISOM website.
==== Burundi contingents ==== a. Commanders
b. Battalions Burundi sent its first battalion to Mogadishu to join Ugandan troops in AMISOM in December 2007. It took until October 2008 to build the national contingent up to two battalions, due in part to a lack of equipment. But subsequently the Burundi contingent increased to a six battalion force. The Burundi force commitment is frequently cited as 5432 troops, which would align with a contingent of six battalions (of about 850 personnel each, the UN 'standard') together with headquarters and support elements.
1 Battalion. Arrived December 2007. 2 Battalion. Deployed mid-October 2008. ...
7 Battalion (Lt. Col. Pontien Hakizimana). Served during 2011 and involved in the Battle for Mogadishu. 8 Battalion 9 Battalion (Lt. Col. Pascal Hakizimana). Served during 2011 and involved in the Battle for Mogadishu. 10 Battalion (Lt. Col. Egide Nitabara). Served during 2011 and involved in the Battle for Mogadishu. 11 Battalion (Lt. Col. Gregoire Ndikumazambo). Served during 2011 and involved in the Battle for Mogadishu. 12 Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard Bimenyimana). Served during 2011 and involved in the Battle for Mogadishu. ...
26 Battalion. Returned home at the end of May 2015. 27 Battalion. Returned home at the end of May 2015. 28 Battalion. Returned home in October 2015 after 14 month deployment. 29 Battalion. Returned home in November 2015; replaced by 35 Battalion. 30 Battalion. Returned home in November 2015; replaced by 36 Battalion. 31 Battalion, 828 personnel. Returned home 28 May 2016. 32 Battalion (Maj. John Manirakiza). Returned home during July 2016 after year-long deployment. 33 Battalion (Maj. Richard Nikoyagize). Returned home during July 2016 after year-long deployment. 34 Battalion (Maj. Sylvain Kinigi). Deployed October 2015 (replacing 28 Battalion?) and returned home February 2017. 35 Battalion. Deployed November 2015, replacing 29 Battalion? 36 Battalion. Deployed November 2015, replacing 30 Battalion? 37 Battalion (Maj. Adolphe Kaguruka). Deployed May 2016, replacing 31 Battalion? Returned home June 2017. 38 Battalion, 850 personnel. Deployed July 2016, replacing 32 Battalion 39 Battalion, 850 personnel. Deployed July 2016, replacing 33 Battalion 40, 41 and 42 Battalions were scheduled for deployment in November 2016 but this was delayed. There was speculation this delay was a result of disappointment within Burundi over delays in EU payments in support of AMISOM and the suggestion by the EU that payments could be made directly to the Burundian troops rather than through the Burundi government; or domestic political tensions within Burundi arising from the president running for a third term of office. By January 2017 the Burundi government threatened to withdraw its forces from Somalia altogether, arguing that these were a national contingent and not mere mercenaries, as would be suggested by the troops receiving payment directly from any third party. Subsequently agreement was reached on the question of EU payments and it was announced the Burundi contingents would remain with AMISOM in Somalia.
40 Battalion (Maj. Leonidas Nsingirankabo, also given as Maj. Ladislas Singirankabo). Deployed February 2017, replacing 34 Battalion, and departed in March 2018. 41 Battalion (Maj. Zenon Ntisinzira). 42 Battalion 43 Battalion (Maj. Chartier Nyandwi). Deployed June 2017, replacing 37 Battalion. 44 Battalion 45 Battalion (Lt. Col. Philbert Hatungimana). Arrived in Somalia August 2017, replacing 39 Battalion, and to be deployed to Jowhar. ...
55 Battalion. Deployed November 2019 and ended tour in May 2021, after an extension due to the Covid-19 'pandemic'. 56 Battalion Deployed November 2019 and ended tour in May 2021, after an extension due to the Covid-19 'pandemic'.
Ethiopian contingents
Kenyan contingents
Contingent/ Sector 2 commanders
