Uganda Suspends All Military Cooperation with Turkey

Kampala, September 19, 2026: The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) announced that all defense and military cooperation between Uganda and the Republic of Turkey has been urgently suspended.

A statement issued by the Acting Defence Spokesperson, Colonel Chris Magezi, indicated that the decision took effect immediately and will remain in place until the outstanding issues related to defense and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved.

UPDF did not elaborate on the nature or reasons for the issues leading to the suspension, with the official statement not specifically mentioning any dispute regarding Somalia or other matters.

This decision comes at a time when the defense relationship between Uganda and Turkey previously included cooperation in training, defense industries, and military collaboration. UPDF had previously stated that the two countries have cooperative agreements in the defense industry.

Reports also indicate that the decision coincided with a protest in Kampala demanding that Turkey return Fred Lumbuye to Uganda; however, UPDF's official statement did not link the suspension of cooperation to that issue.

So far, the duration of the suspension or what the next steps will be for both governments has not been disclosed.