Uganda to withdraw troops from Somalia by August 2027, Muhoozi says

Ugandan military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced that Uganda will withdraw all its troops from Somalia by August 1, 2027, setting a specific date for its exit after nearly two decades of involvement in the country's security operations. Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, claimed on X that Uganda would no longer be part of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) after the date.

The exact approval of this date by the Ugandan government remains unclear. Uganda has contributed to AUSSOM since 2007, assisting Somali forces in their fight against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group. Kainerugaba previously stated that Uganda intended to withdraw after almost 19 years of involvement, and a warning was given in February about potential withdrawal over funding problems.

The announcement comes less than a month after an extraordinary summit of countries contributing troops to AUSSOM, held in Kampala on July 31, 2026. At the summit, Uganda called for sustained international support for Somalia's peace and security and backed efforts to secure sustainable financing for the mission. However, the U.S. decision to stop supporting U.N. logistical and operational assistance to AUSSOM from the beginning of 2027 has raised concerns about the mission's ability to continue operating.

The U.S. has said it will not oppose a renewal of AUSSOM's mandate but will reject continued U.N. logistical or operational support. This funding decision has put pressure on the nearly 12,000-member AUSSOM mission, which relies heavily on U.N. support for essential services. Somalia has been working to assume greater responsibility for its own security, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud calling for foreign troops to eventually leave the country.