Uganda Begins Troop Withdrawal from Somalia
Summary
Uganda has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia, ending a 20-year military role in the African Union-led campaign against insurgents. All Ugandan soldiers are expected to leave gradually by the end of 2027 as funding for the mission comes under strain.
Key Points
- Uganda has started withdrawing troops deployed in Somalia under both the bilateral agreement with Mogadishu and the African Union-backed mission AUSOM.
- The Ugandan army says all soldiers in Somalia will be gradually withdrawn by the end of 2027, ending a 20-year support campaign.
- The pullout comes as major donors, including the United States, have cut aid to the mission amid dissatisfaction with progress against Al-Shabaab.
- Al-Shabaab still controls large parts of central Somalia, and Uganda says the Somali armed forces should take full responsibility for security.
