Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after 20 years

After nearly two decades of military involvement, Uganda has initiated the withdrawal of its forces from Somalia. Acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi announced on Monday that the first group of troops, deployed under a bilateral arrangement, had already returned home, with additional troops expected to follow in the coming days.

All forces, including those under the African Union mission, are scheduled to leave by the end of 2027 in a phased withdrawal. Uganda was the first African country to send troops to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), established in 2007 to protect the country's transitional government from Islamist militants.

The first contingent of 109 Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) troops left Somalia on Friday, following an announcement by Uganda's army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Gen Kainerugaba stated that this marks the end of Uganda's operations in Somalia, with the country assuming full responsibility for security. The withdrawal comes after a meeting between Somali President Sheikh Mohamud and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni, where the latter urged Somali leaders and citizens to unite against the al-Shabab militant insurgency.

An estimated 4,500 troops are currently in Somalia under the Africa Union mission, alongside about 2,000 deployed through bilateral arrangements.