Uganda has started drawing down its military presence in Somalia, bringing an end to nearly two decades of involvement in the Horn of Africa country. Acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi said on Monday that the first group of soldiers deployed under a bilateral arrangement had already returned home, and that others would follow within a few days.
Magezi said every force, including those serving under the African Union (AU) mission, would leave by the end of 2027 as part of a phased pullout.
Uganda’s role in Somalia since 2007
Uganda was the first African country to send troops to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), which was set up in 2007 to protect the transitional government from attacks by Islamist militants. Ugandan forces played a key role in driving al-Shabab out of Mogadishu and other major towns, fighting alongside the Somali National Army to retake strategic territory and secure key government installations.
Ugandan troops remained under successive AU operations, including the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), which was meant to gradually transfer security responsibilities to Somali authorities. In 2025, Atmis was replaced by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), which focuses on strengthening Somali security institutions and preparing their forces to take full responsibility for the country’s security.
First troops leave Mogadishu after army chief’s announcement
A first contingent of 109 Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) troops reportedly left the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, following an announcement by army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The previous week, he had said Uganda was beginning to pull out and would hand over security duties to Somali forces.
In a post on X, Gen Muhoozi 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.”
Magezi said on Monday that the move would mark the end of Uganda’s operations in the country, adding that Somalia was expected to “assume full responsibility for security”.
Somali president’s Kampala visit and funding concerns
The withdrawal follows a visit to Kampala last week by Somali President Sheikh Mohamud, who met his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni. The talks were planned to cover Somalia’s security situation as well as trade and economic ties between the two countries.
Reports said the Somali president sought to persuade Uganda to extend its military presence, but the outcome of that request has not been made public. During the visit, Museveni urged Somali leaders and citizens to unite in the fight against the al-Shabab insurgency.
An estimated 4,500 troops serve in Somalia under the AU mission, alongside about 2,000 deployed through bilateral arrangements. Somalia has faced a prolonged and deadly insurgency led by al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, for more than two decades. Aussom now faces uncertainty over its future funding as plans to wind down US and UN support take shape. A 12-month transition plan is due to begin in January, giving Somalia and the AU time to seek alternative sources of funding.
