Kampala (AX) — The Ugandan government has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia after nearly two decades of military operations in the country, the country’s military chief announced on Thursday, marking the start of a transfer of security responsibility to Somali forces at a time when the African Union mission is facing mounting financial and political pressures.
“As we promised, we have begun withdrawing UPDF troops from Somalia. After twenty years of much bloodshed and sacrifice, we are transferring security to our Somali brothers,” General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, announced on his X account.
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Ugandan officials have not yet officially announced the number of troops being withdrawn, the first bases to be handed over to the government, or when the withdrawal is expected to be completed.
Uganda remains the largest contributor of troops to the African Union’s new mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). The African Union authorized 4,500 Ugandan troops for the mission, which replaced the former African Union Mission in Somalia, ATMIS, at the beginning of 2025.
AUSSOM’s mandate includes supporting Somali forces in the fight against al-Shabab, protecting civilians and critical infrastructure, and gradually transferring security responsibility to Somalia’s security institutions. The mission’s transition plan calls for troop reductions in several phases until the final withdrawal in December 2029, depending on the security situation at that time.
The first Ugandan troops arrived in Somalia in March 2007, leading the African Union’s AMISOM mission, and became one of the longest-serving foreign contingents involved in the country’s security operations.
Since then, Ugandan forces have taken part in some of the fiercest battles against al-Shabab, conducting extensive operations in Mogadishu and large parts of Lower Shabelle region.
Their presence has also come at a heavy human and material cost. Ugandan troops have suffered repeated casualties in al-Shabab attacks, including several major assaults targeting African Union bases during the mission.
The announcement comes as AUSSOM struggles with severe funding shortages. The African Union Peace and Security Council has repeatedly warned that insufficient and unreliable financial support is putting the mission’s operations at risk, and has called for urgent additional international backing.
The African Union has also stressed that decisions on AUSSOM’s future and troop reductions must be based on conditions on the ground and coordinated with the Somali government to prevent emerging security gaps.
Uganda has remained a cornerstone of Somalia’s security arrangements. Earlier this year, the African Union praised Kampala for deploying additional troops to Somalia under a bilateral agreement, a temporary response to worsening security conditions.
The al-Shabab group, which is linked to al-Qaeda, continues to control or operate in rural areas of southern and central Somalia, despite nearly two decades of military pressure from Somali forces and their international partners.
As a result, Kainerugaba’s announcement points to a major shift in Uganda’s longstanding role in Somalia, although it remains unclear whether the move marks the beginning of a full withdrawal of Ugandan forces or a planned reduction coordinated with AUSSOM and Somali leaders.
