Uganda begins phased withdrawal of troops from Somalia

Uganda has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia after nearly two decades of military involvement in the country. The first group of troops, deployed through a bilateral arrangement, has already arrived back in Uganda, according to Uganda's acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi.

Phased Withdrawal Timeline

Uganda's military stated that the withdrawal will be carried out in phases. While the initial pullout of troops under bilateral arrangements is expected to be completed "in the next few days," the military intends to gradually withdraw all its forces in Somalia, including those currently deployed under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), by the close of 2027.

On Monday, Magezi said this would mark the end of Uganda's operations in the Horn of Africa country, with Somalia expected to "assume full responsibility for security."

Military Presence and Mission Context

Uganda was the first African country to deploy troops to Somalia in 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom). The mission was established to help protect the country's transitional government from attacks by Islamist militants. Over the years, Ugandan forces have been involved in successive missions, including the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) and the current AUSSOM, which began in 2025.

Regarding the scale of the deployment, sources provide varying estimates:

• An estimated 4,500 troops are in Somalia under the African Union mission.
• Approximately 2,000 troops are deployed through bilateral arrangements.
• Other reports suggest the number of troops under AUSSOM could be between 4,500 and 6,000, with an additional 2,000 to 2,500 under bilateral agreements.

A first contingent of 109 Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) troops reportedly left the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, following an announcement by Uganda's army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. On X, Kainerugaba wrote, "As we promised, we have started withdrawing UPDF from Somalia. After 20 years of a lot of blood and sacrifice, we are handing over security to our Somali brothers."

Security and Funding Challenges

The withdrawal occurs amid significant security and financial uncertainty. Somalia has been battling a prolonged insurgency led by al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, for more than two decades. While Ugandan forces played a key role in driving militants out of Mogadishu and other major towns, the group has recaptured territory in recent years and currently controls significant areas in the center and south of the country.

Somali State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar told Reuters, "Things are not dire now, but it could create problems if their troops suddenly pull out."

Additionally, the future of the AUSSOM mission faces uncertainty due to funding issues. The United States, the coalition's biggest donor, has voiced frustration with the lack of progress in fighting Al-Shabab. The UN also ended its political mission in Somalia, the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia, on Saturday after more than three decades of peacebuilding.

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Sources

• bbc.com: Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after two decades of fighting al-Shabab
• dw.com: Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia
• newscord.org: Uganda Begins Withdrawing UPDF Troops From Somalia After Nearly Two Decades: 8 outlets compared | NewsCord
• somaliatoday.com: Uganda begins Somalia troop withdrawal, plans full 2027 exit
• somaliguardian.com: Uganda begins withdrawing troops deployed bilaterally in Somalia | Somali Guardian
• von.gov.ng: Uganda Begins Troop Withdrawal from Somalia - Voice of Nigeria

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.