The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has started withdrawing its troops from Somalia after nearly 20 years of military deployment in the Horn of Africa country, with the first group of 109 soldiers already returning home.
The phased withdrawal, announced on Monday, November 2, 2026, will initially cover troops deployed under bilateral arrangements between Uganda and the Federal Government of Somalia before extending to Ugandan forces serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
In a statement issued in Kampala, Colonel Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, said the first cohort of troops under the withdrawal operation had already arrived in Uganda.
“The operation to withdraw troops deployed in Somalia under bilateral arrangements will be completed in the next few days,” Magezi said.
However, the withdrawal of all Ugandan forces, including those serving under AUSSOM, will be gradual and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
“The UPDF will gradually withdraw all its forces in Somalia, including those currently deployed under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) by the close of 2027,” the statement said.
Uganda became the first African country to deploy troops to Somalia in March 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which was established to support the country’s transitional government and combat the Al-Shabaab insurgency.
Since then, Ugandan forces have participated in successive African Union-led missions, including AMISOM, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and its successor, AUSSOM, which began operations in January 2025.
The troops have supported Somali government forces in operations against Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group that has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for nearly two decades.
The withdrawal comes as Somalia prepares to assume greater responsibility for its national security, although concerns remain about the readiness of its security forces to operate without the support of foreign troops.
Reuters reported on Monday that AUSSOM had warned that the withdrawal could leave parts of the Lower Shabelle region vulnerable to Al-Shabaab attacks.
Somali State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar also cautioned that a sudden departure of troops could create security challenges.
The planned exit marks a major shift in Uganda’s military engagement in the Horn of Africa, where successive deployments have made the UPDF one of the principal contributors to international security operations in Somalia.