Uganda begins to withdraw troops from Somalia after 20 years

What the report says

The Observer reports that the first group of Uganda People’s Defence Forces troops withdrawn from Somalia has returned to Uganda, signaling the start of a phased pullout after nearly two decades of deployments. In a statement cited by the newspaper, Col Chris Magezi, acting director of Defence Public Information, said the drawdown took effect immediately and will eventually cover all remaining Ugandan forces in Somalia, including those serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia.

According to the report, Uganda plans to complete the withdrawal by the end of 2027. The move would end Uganda’s long-running peace enforcement and stabilization role in Somalia and transfer full security responsibility to Somali forces. Uganda was the first country to deploy troops there in March 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia, later known as ATMIS and now AUSSOM. The article says Ugandan troops have helped fight Al-Shabaab and support efforts to rebuild Somali state institutions.

The report adds that Uganda has at times had more than 6,000 troops in Somalia, mainly in Mogadishu and nearby areas. Magezi did not say how many soldiers are included in the bilateral withdrawal. The Observer also notes that the first batch was reported to be 109 soldiers, and places the move in the context of wider African Union mission funding and logistical challenges, as well as reported tensions involving Uganda and Turkey, though the UPDF did not cite those issues as the reason for the exit.