Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after 20 years of combating al-Shabab

Uganda has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia after practically 20 years of army involvement within the nation.

The primary contingent of 109 Uganda Individuals’s Defence Forces (UPDF) troops reportedly left the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, following an announcement by Uganda’s military chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Uganda’s performing military spokesperson, Chris Magezi, didn’t reply to the BBC’s request for remark.

Uganda was the primary African nation to deploy troops to Somalia below the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), which was established in 2007 to assist defend the nation’s transitional authorities from assaults by Islamist militants.

Final week, Gen Muhoozi stated Uganda had begun pulling out its troops and would hand over safety tasks to Somali forces.

“As we promised, we’ve began withdrawing UPDF from Somalia. After 20 years of numerous blood and sacrifice, we’re handing over safety to our Somali brothers,” he wrote on X.

The withdrawal is being carried out in phases and is anticipated to be accomplished in August 2027.

Nonetheless, Uganda isn’t ending its total army involvement in Somalia. Its troops deployed below a separate bilateral safety association will stay within the nation.

An estimated 4,500 troops are in Somalia below the Africa Union mission, alongside about 2,000 deployed via bilateral preparations.

Somalia has been battling a protracted and lethal insurgency led al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, for greater than 20 years.

Uganda forces first deployed to the nation in 2007 and performed a key position in driving al-Shabab out of Mogadishu and different main cities.

They fought alongside the Somali Nationwide Military to recapture strategic territory and safe key authorities installations.

Ugandan troops continued its army involvement below successive Africa Union, together with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), which started with the goal of step by step transferring safety tasks to Somalia.

It was changed in 2025 by the African Union Assist and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), which is targeted on strengthening Somalia’s safety establishments and getting ready its forces to take full duty for the nation’s safety.

Aussom now faces uncertainty over its future funding, amid plans to wind down US and UN help.

A 12-month transition plan is because of start to in January, giving Somalia and the AU time to hunt different sources of funding.