Uganda Starts Phased Withdrawal of Troops from Somalia
Kampala says its first soldiers have returned home and plans to complete the withdrawal of all forces by the end of 2027, leaving questions over security handover.
Uganda has begun withdrawing troops stationed in Somalia, starting with soldiers deployed under a bilateral agreement and setting a deadline of the end of 2027 to bring home its remaining forces.
The Uganda People's Defence Forces announced on Monday, 2 November, that the first group had already returned. The initial phase concerns troops serving outside the main African Union peacekeeping mission; it does not mean that Uganda has ended its military presence in Somalia.
Ugandan troops have served in Somalia since 2007, helping African forces and Somali security services confront the al-Shabaab insurgency around Mogadishu and beyond. Over the following years, Ugandan and other African forces helped secure key areas at considerable cost.
Two stages of withdrawal
Army spokesperson Chris Magezi said the immediate drawdown concerns troops deployed under bilateral arrangements with Somalia’s federal government. The Ugandan military said that phase was due to finish within days. Uganda’s wider contingent, including soldiers serving with the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), is to be withdrawn gradually by the end of 2027.
The army said its first returning contingent had already reached Uganda. The announcement did not specify how many troops were in that group or the separate bilateral force, so the initial drawdown should not be mistaken for the departure of all Ugandan peacekeepers.
The handover will require Somalia's security services and their partners to assume duties currently handled by Ugandan units. Al-Shabaab continues to launch attacks, and the strength of local forces varies from one district to another.
Concerns about the transition
The issue is not simply the departure date. Security officials must consider which roads, towns and bases will be handed over, how intelligence-sharing will continue and whether replacement units can hold territory after a transfer.
A Reuters report cited concern within the African Union mission that a withdrawal could expose parts of Lower Shabelle to renewed insurgent activity. Somali officials have also warned that an abrupt departure would create risks, while acknowledging that the situation is not yet an immediate collapse.
The announcement comes as international missions in Somalia are being reorganised and Somali authorities seek greater control over their country's security.
Uganda's timetable sets an end point for a deployment that has lasted almost two decades, but the effect on conditions in Somalia will depend on how the handover works on the ground.
Sources and further reading: Associated Press · Internazionale (Reuters syndication) · New Vision / UPDF statement.
Sources
Musa Ersoy
Musa Ersoy is an editor and writer at DEFUXA Global News, covering developments in the United Kingdom and around the world. He researches news stories using official statements, credible sources and independently verifiable information. His editorial work focuses on factual ac…
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