Uganda has started withdrawing its troops from Somalia, marking the beginning of a phased reduction of its military presence in the country after nearly two decades of operations against Al-Shabaab militants.
The first reported group of 109 Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers left Mogadishu on Friday, October 30, aboard a Kenya-registered aircraft chartered by Uganda, according to reports by ChimpReports.
The departure followed an announcement by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba on Thursday, October 29, confirming that the withdrawal had started. He did not disclose the number of soldiers involved or provide a timetable for completing the process.
“As we promised, we have started withdrawing UPDF from Somalia. After 20 years of a lot of blood and sacrifice we are handing over security to our Somali brothers,” Kainerugaba said in a statement on X.
The reported departure of the 109 soldiers has not been independently confirmed by the UPDF.
Museveni declines Somalia’s request for more time
The withdrawal comes days after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Uganda and appealed for Ugandan troops to remain in Somalia longer.
Mohamud met President Yoweri Museveni at State House, Entebbe, on October 26, 2026, during a one-day official visit. Discussions focused on Somalia’s security situation and efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab.
According to a statement from the Ugandan presidency, Mohamud thanked Uganda for its military contribution and expressed hope that its troops would remain in Somalia longer to support efforts to restore stability.
The official account of the meeting did not announce any agreement to extend the deployment.
Uganda’s withdrawal plans are expected to affect its forces operating in the Lower Shabelle region, south of Mogadishu. Ugandan troops have been deployed there under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and a separate bilateral security arrangement between Kampala and Mogadishu.
Reports indicate that the handover of some forward operating bases to Somali forces is part of the withdrawal process. However, Ugandan authorities have not publicly provided a detailed list of the bases involved or confirmed a complete handover timetable.
Uganda’s 19-year military involvement
Uganda deployed its first troops to Somalia in March 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), becoming the first country to contribute forces to the operation.
The deployment was intended to support Somalia’s internationally backed government and help restore security amid fighting involving Al-Shabaab, an armed group affiliated with al-Qaeda.
Ugandan forces played a central role in operations that pushed Al-Shabaab out of Mogadishu in 2011 and helped secure other major towns in southern Somalia.
The African Union mission was later replaced by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) before AUSSOM took over in January 2025.
Uganda has remained one of the mission’s largest troop contributors, with its forces operating alongside Somali security personnel in efforts to contain the insurgency.
The withdrawal raises questions about the security arrangements in Lower Shabelle, where Ugandan troops have occupied strategic positions protecting routes and settlements around Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab continues to operate in parts of southern and central Somalia despite years of military operations by Somali forces and their international partners.
It remains unclear how quickly Somali forces will assume responsibility for all the positions being vacated by Ugandan troops or what effect the departure will have on security around the capital.
