Uganda begins phased withdrawal of troops from Somalia

Uganda has begun withdrawing troops from Somalia, with the first contingent deployed under a bilateral arrangement already back home and further departures expected within days, according to acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi, as reported by the BBC. The withdrawal is planned in phases. Magezi said all Ugandan forces in Somalia, including those serving under the African Union mission, would leave by the end of 2027.

Uganda’s army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, had earlier announced that a first group of 109 Uganda People’s Defence Forces troops left Mogadishu on Friday. Kainerugaba said on X that Uganda was handing security responsibilities to Somali forces after two decades of “blood and sacrifice”. Magezi described the process as marking the end of Uganda’s operations in the Horn of Africa and said Somalia was expected to assume full responsibility for its security.

Uganda was the first African country to deploy troops to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia, known as Amisom, which was established in 2007 to protect Somalia’s transitional government from attacks by Islamist militants. Ugandan forces later served in successive African Union missions. The BBC reported that Ugandan troops played a significant role in pushing al-Shabab out of Mogadishu and other major towns.

They also fought alongside the Somali National Army to recapture strategic territory and protect key government installations. The current withdrawal follows a meeting last week between Somali President Sheikh Mohamud and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala. The talks were intended to cover Somalia’s security situation as well as trade and economic relations.

According to the BBC, Mohamud sought to persuade Uganda to extend its military presence. During the visit, Museveni urged Somalia’s leaders and citizens to unite against al-Shabab, the militant group linked to al-Qaeda. Somalia has faced a prolonged insurgency for more than two decades, and the Ugandan departure will take place as Somali forces are expected to assume a greater security role.

The African Union mission now operating in Somalia is the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission, or Aussom. It replaced the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia in 2025 and is intended to strengthen Somalia’s security institutions while preparing its forces to take full responsibility for national security. Aussom’s future is uncertain because of funding concerns and plans to wind down United States and United Nations support.

A 12-month transition plan is due to begin in January, giving Somalia and the African Union time to look for alternative funding sources. France 24 also reported that Uganda had started drawing down troops just days after the United Nations ended its political mission in Somalia. Its report did not provide additional details on the timetable or troop numbers.

The BBC’s account specifies the end of 2027 as the target for the complete Ugandan withdrawal.