The Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has announced that his country has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia, following 20 years of sacrifice.
In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account this evening, he stated that they are handing over responsibility for the country’s security to the Somali forces.
“We are handing over security to our Somali brothers,” said General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The Ugandan military has long been a key component of the African Union mission in Somalia, which supports the Federal Government in its efforts to ensure security and combat the Al-Shabaab militia.
Uganda was the first African nation to contribute troops to the African Union peacekeeping mission, AMISOM, with its forces arriving in Mogadishu in March 2007.
On April 1, 2022, AMISOM was succeeded by ATMIS. The mandate for ATMIS concluded on December 31, 2024, and was replaced on January 1, 2025, by a new mission known as AUSSOM.
Among the nations participating in the mission, Uganda maintains the largest troop presence in Somalia.
