Stockholm — Sweden has reportedly deployed a small group of unarmed soldiers from the Livgardet’s special units (KTSU) to Somalia to assist a US-led mission against the al-Shabaab militant group, according to Expressen. The paper says roughly 15 operatives are involved. They are not classified as armed soldiers, and their work centers on forensic investigations, such as evaluating components of homemade bombs. The United States is said to have requested the unit’s particular expertise in gathering and analyzing DNA traces from attack sites. The group comprises Swedish soldiers from Livgardet’s special units, highlighting a role focused on science and evidence rather than frontline combat.
The government has kept information about the foreign deployment secret. Only when Expressen began asking questions did the defence committee of the Riksdag receive details, according to the ministry’s statements. Defence Minister Pål Jonson’s spokesperson, Johan Hjelmstrand, wrote that due to operational secrecy they cannot provide further details at this time.
Sweden’s role in the secret Somalia mission
According to Expressen, the operation centers on forensic capabilities rather than traditional combat duties. The Livgardet’s KTSU units are trained for technical and forensic work—skills that can help identify the origins of improvised explosives and corroborate intelligence through DNA trace analysis. The decision to deploy unarmed personnel mirrors Sweden’s approach to contributing to counterterrorism efforts abroad without committing conventional armored forces.
What we know about the unit and its tasks
Because the team is unarmed, Swedish governance at times requires less direct parliamentary oversight for the deployment. Still, the government has framed the matter as a case of operational secrecy, where broader strategic details cannot be disclosed. The Defense Ministry has indicated that more information will be shared only when circumstances permit.
The unit and its purpose
The KTSU within Livgardet specializes in forensics, bomb scene analysis, and DNA evidence collection. These capabilities can be decisive in tracking the source of devices and reconstructing attack patterns without exposing troops to direct combat risks.
Secrecy and parliamentary oversight
Swedish policy permits non-armed deployments to proceed without formal approval from the Riksdag’s defense committee, in contrast to units that are armed and require legislative authorization. In this instance, the government says operational secrecy governs disclosure.
Implications for Sweden’s security policy
Analysts say the reported mission illustrates a cautious but practical tilt in Sweden’s security policy: close cooperation with the United States in intelligence and forensic domains, balanced with transparency limits for sensitive operations. It underscores a willingness to support international counterterrorism efforts while avoiding large-scale deployment of combat troops.
What this means for US-Swedish military cooperation
The alleged operation highlights ongoing collaboration in specialized fields where Sweden can contribute without a large diplomatic footprint. It could set a precedent for more joint work in forensic and investigative domains, though many operational details are withheld. Sweden has repeatedly stressed the importance of international partnerships in countering terrorism while maintaining a cautious approach to public disclosure.
About al-Shabaab
Al-Shabaab has long operated in Somalia and remains a threat in the region. The US and allied partners have pursued counterterrorism efforts to degrade its capabilities, and the reported Swedish involvement would extend support to those efforts from a specialist angle.
