Uganda starts pulling troops out of Somalia after 20 years
Uganda has begun phasing out its soldiers from Somalia, where it has operated since 2007. The withdrawal should finish in August 2027, though some Ugandan forces will stay under a bilateral deal.
Uganda, an East African country, has started withdrawing its troops from Somalia after almost two decades of military involvement there. A first group of 109 soldiers from the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) reportedly left the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, following an announcement by Uganda's army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The move matters because Uganda was the first African country to send troops to Somalia under an African Union mission, and Somali forces will now have to take on more responsibility for security.
A phased pullout
Last week Gen Kainerugaba wrote on X that, after 20 years of much bloodshed and sacrifice, security was being handed over to Somali forces. The withdrawal is being carried out in stages and is expected to be completed in August 2027. Uganda's acting army spokesperson, Chris Magezi, did not respond to a BBC request for comment.
Uganda is not leaving Somalia entirely. Troops deployed under a separate bilateral security arrangement will remain. An estimated 4,500 troops are in Somalia under the African Union mission, alongside about 2,000 deployed through bilateral arrangements.
Background of the mission
Ugandan forces first arrived in 2007 as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), set up to protect the country's transitional government from attacks by Islamist militants. Together with the Somali National Army, they helped push the militant group al-Shabab out of Mogadishu and other major towns, recaptured strategic territory and secured key government installations. Al-Shabab, a group linked to al-Qaeda, has led an insurgency in Somalia for more than two decades.
Uganda later continued its role under successive African Union missions, including the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), which aimed to gradually transfer security duties to Somalia. In 2025 Atmis was replaced by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), which focuses on strengthening Somalia's security institutions and preparing its forces to take full responsibility for national security.
Funding uncertainty
Aussom's future funding is uncertain, as US and UN support is planned to be wound down. A 12-month transition plan is due to begin in January, giving Somalia and the African Union time to look for alternative funding sources.
