Uganda begins withdrawal of its troops from Somalia after 20 years

Kampala (Caasimada Online) – Uganda has begun to withdraw its troops from Somalia, after nearly twenty years of participating in the military operations of the African Union, as stated on Thursday by the commander of the country's forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Muhoozi stated in a post he shared on his X page on October 29 that his troops have started to hand over security responsibilities to the Somali forces.

“As we promised, we have begun to withdraw the UPDF troops from Somalia. After 20 years of much bloodshed and sacrifices made, we are handing over security to our Somali brothers,” he said.

In his statement, he did not elaborate on the number of troops withdrawing, the locations they are leaving from, and the schedule for this phase of the withdrawal.

The economic burden of the operation

This move comes as the African Union's support and stabilization operation in Somalia (AUSSOM) faces financial constraints and uncertainty regarding the international support it relies on.

The United States informed the African Union in July that it would not support the renewal of the operation's mandate when the United Nations Security Council discusses the matter in December.

Additionally, Muhoozi mentioned in military meetings prior to the Kampala conference in July that the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) has reduced its support by 25 percent, which has affected the operational capacity of the forces.

Muhoozi called on the regional military leaders at that time to adapt to the dwindling resources, while also preparing a framework for African countries to continue the operation.

“These are tough circumstances, but they also demand unity, creativity, and tough decisions from us,” he told the military commanders from the countries with troops in Somalia.

He added that the future of the operation and the protection of the progress made in Somalia depends on the quality of the decisions made by the military leaders at this time.

Yoweri Museveni's Commitment

Despite the growing economic concerns, the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, previously stated that African countries would not leave Somalia if international partners stop their support.

Speaking on July 31, 2026, at the summit of the leaders of the countries with troops in Somalia, held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, he emphasized that Africa has the capacity to address the security challenges on the continent.

“If the international community wants to leave, let them leave. The problems we have solved here, we solved without their support. We received support from our brothers,” Museveni said.

“Somalia will not be abandoned. We have the power. Whether others leave or not, we will stand by.”

Museveni also defended Uganda's decision to send its troops to Somalia in 2007, stating that it was based on principles and a strategy related to regional security. He described Ethiopia's support as another reason that led his country to join the operation.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Yusuf, also confirmed during the July meeting that the organization would continue to seek the support needed for the operation.

“I want to assure the government and the people of Somalia that the commission will continue to organize all the political, diplomatic, and financial support necessary for the success of the operation,” he said.

On the Somali side, the commander of the national army at the time of the meeting, Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mahmoud, thanked the countries with troops in Somalia for their long-standing sacrifices.

The head of the peacekeeping operations of the African Union, Brigadier General Cheick Dembele, also emphasized the importance of continuing African cooperation while building Somali security institutions capable of maintaining peace.

Uganda became the first country to send troops to Somalia in 2007, as part of the African Union mission AMISOM.

Since then, Ugandan forces have participated with Somali troops in battles against Al-Shabaab, capturing key areas and protecting government facilities.

AMISOM was replaced by ATMIS in 2022, which in turn was replaced by AUSSOM on January 1, 2025. The current operation focuses on supporting the Somali forces, stabilizing the country, and gradually transferring security responsibilities to Somalia's security agencies.