Beletweyne – Growing up in Djibouti, Lt. Col. Ahmed Adan Abdullahi dreamed of becoming a military officer, a childhood ambition he realised years later.
Today, Lt. Col. Ahmed commands the 13th Djiboutian National Defence Forces (DNDF) Battalion serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in Sector 4. Based in Beletweyne, he oversees Djiboutian forces deployed across Beletweyne, Buula Burde, Jalalaqsi and Dhusamareb.
For Lt. Col. Ahmed, becoming a military officer is not simply a career achievement. It is the fulfilment of a long-held dream and an opportunity to serve his country and support the people of Somalia.
“I joined the military for two reasons: one is to defend my country by being part of the Djibouti National Defence Forces, and the other is that my ambition has always been to be an officer which I finally became one. I am grateful to God for this favour,” he said.
Lt. Col. Ahmed completed his primary, secondary and tertiary education in Djibouti before undertaking military training in Sudan. He has extensive experience in Somalia, having previously served under the African Union missions in Buula Burde from 2015 to 2017 and in Dhusamareb from 2021 to 2022.
Those previous deployments have given him valuable knowledge of the operating environment and communities where Djiboutian forces serve. Today, as commander of the 13th Battalion, that experience is helping him lead his troops and carry out his responsibilities more effectively.
His days are demanding and begin early, reflecting the responsibilities that come with commanding troops deployed across a wide area. The Djiboutian contingent is part of AUSSOM’s efforts to support Somalia’s security and stabilisation, while working alongside Somali Security Forces (SSF) and communities.
According to Lt. Col. Ahmed, Djiboutian forces have played an important role in security operations in Hiiraan region and beyond. The forces first deployed in Beletweyne in 2012 and have since participated in operations that led to the liberation of several towns including Beletweyne, Bula Burde and Jalalaqsi.
He said theses victories have not come without sacrifice. Some soldiers paid the ultimate price during operations to liberate towns and protect communities from Al-Shabaab.
“Our forces lost many soldiers in the liberation of the towns,” Lt. Col. Ahmed said. “Up to now, the Djiboutian forces are standing with Somalia to defend, support and be with the Somali public to defend them against Al-Shabaab brutality.”
For Lt. Col. Ahmed, the commitment to Somalia extends beyond military operations. He believes Djibouti’s support will continue until Somali security institutions are strong enough to handle the country’s security responsibilities.
A key strength of the Djiboutian contingent, he explained, is its close relationship with local communities. Djibouti and Somalia share strong cultural, linguistic and religious ties, helping soldiers communicate easily with the communities they serve.
“The Djiboutian contingent is very close to the locals since they share the same language and religion. That has helped us a lot,” Lt. Col. Ahmed said.
For him, the mission is therefore more than military service. It is about fulfilling his childhood dream in Djibouti while contributing to the security and stability of a neighbouring country.
