Uganda Begins Somalia Troop Withdrawal, Plans 2027 Exit

Uganda has begun withdrawing troops deployed in Somalia under bilateral arrangements, with an initial group of 109 soldiers returning home and the rest of that contingent expected to leave within days. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces says all its forces, including those serving in the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, will be withdrawn by the end of 2027. The phased exit would end nearly 20 years of Ugandan military involvement, during which its troops supported Somali forces against al-Shabaab. Uganda says the withdrawal will allow Somalia’s armed forces to assume full responsibility for national security.