Ethiopia, 5 October 2025 — The African Union has called on member states and the international community to step up support for Somalia following a deadly Al-Shabaab attack in Mogadishu.
In a statement issued on Sunday, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged all AU members, including troop- and police-contributing countries, and the broader international community to assist the Federal Republic of Somalia and the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), saying support is needed “to effectively degrade and eliminate Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups in Somalia.”
The appeal came after an attack on the Jilacow Investigation Center, a high-security detention facility in Mogadishu, on 4 October, which authorities said left several people dead and others injured. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.
Youssouf offered condolences to victims’ families and reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to regional peace, noting that AUSSOM will continue coordinating with Somali forces to stabilize areas recently freed from militant control.