Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after nearly 20 years, handing security to Somali forces

Uganda has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia after nearly two decades of military involvement in the country. The country's acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi said on Monday that the first group of troops deployed to Somalia through a bilateral arrangement had already arrived back home and others would follow in a few days' time.

Magezi said all forces, including those under the African Union (AU) mission, would exit by the end of 2027 in the phased withdrawal. He said this will mark the end of Uganda's operations in the Horn of Africa country, with Somalia expected to assume full responsibility for security.

Uganda was the first African country to deploy troops to Somalia, in 2007, under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), which was established to help protect the country's transitional government from attacks by Islamist militants.

A first contingent of 109 Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) troops reportedly left the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, following an announcement by Uganda's army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Gen Muhoozi wrote on X that, as promised, the UPDF had started withdrawing from Somalia and that, after 20 years of blood and sacrifice, security was being handed over to Somali brothers.

The withdrawal comes after Somalia's President Sheikh Mohamud met his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Kampala last week. The meeting was planned to discuss Somalia's security situation as well as trade and economic ties between the two countries.

The Somali president reportedly sought to persuade Uganda to extend its military presence in Somalia, although the outcome of that discussion was not made public. During the visit, Museveni urged Somali leaders and citizens to unite in the fight against the al-Shabab militant insurgency.

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

Somalia has been battling a prolonged and deadly insurgency led by al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, for more than two decades. Ugandan forces first deployed in 2007 and played a key role in driving al-Shabab out of Mogadishu and other major towns, fighting alongside the Somali National Army to recapture strategic territory and secure key government installations.

Ugandan troops continued under successive AU missions, including the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), which aimed gradually to transfer security responsibilities to Somalia. It was replaced in 2025 by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), focused on strengthening Somalia's security institutions and preparing its forces to take full responsibility.

Aussom now faces uncertainty over its future funding, amid plans to wind down US and UN support. A 12-month transition plan is due to begin in January, giving Somalia and the AU time to seek alternative sources of funding.