Uganda has officially commenced the withdrawal of its military personnel from Somalia, marking the beginning of the end of its nearly two-decade involvement in security and stabilisation operations in the country.
The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) announced on Monday, November 2, 2026, that the withdrawal of troops stationed in Somalia under bilateral security agreements with the Somali Federal Government had taken effect. In a statement issued in Kampala and signed by the Acting Director of Defense Public Information, Colonel Chris Magezi, the military confirmed that the first group of soldiers had already returned to Uganda.
The UPDF explained that the ongoing withdrawal would be carried out in phases, with the removal of personnel serving under the bilateral arrangement expected to be completed within the next few days.The military also revealed plans to gradually withdraw all its remaining troops in Somalia, including those operating under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), by the end of 2027.
According to the statement, completing the withdrawal will bring Uganda’s 20-year security and peace support operations in Somalia to an end, allowing the Somali Armed Forces to take full responsibility for protecting the country. Uganda was the first country to send troops to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in March 2007. The deployment was aimed at supporting the Somali government in restoring stability and combating the Al-Shabaab militant group, which has carried out an insurgency against the government for nearly two decades.
Over the years, the African Union mission underwent several changes, with AMISOM replaced by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in April 2022, before the establishment of AUSSOM in January 2025. Uganda’s planned withdrawal will therefore mark a major transition in Somalia’s security operations, as the country prepares to assume greater responsibility for maintaining its national security.
The news reports Uganda’s decision to gradually withdraw its military forces from Somalia after nearly 20 years of security operations. The move is expected to allow Somali military forces to take full control of their country’s security, bringing Uganda’s long-standing military involvement to an end by 2027.
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