UPDF begins withdrawal from Somalia: Gen Muhoozi

[Eronda]

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced on Thursday evening that Uganda has begun withdrawing its troops from Somalia, ending a military presence of two decades.

The Chief of Defence Forces said on X at 19:35: “As we promised, we have started withdrawing UPDF from Somalia.” He added that after 20 years of “a lot of blood and sacrifice”, Uganda is handing over security to “our Somali brothers.”

The statement gave no details on troop numbers, the phasing of the pullout, or which bases would be handed over first. There was no immediate comment from the Presidency, the Somali federal government or the African Union.

Gen Muhoozi first signalled the exit on 26 January 2026, saying Uganda intended to withdraw all its troops from Somalia very soon, with no timetable or further details. Reports said President Museveni accepted the proposal at a high command meeting on 28 January.

In late August, he gave a firm date: Uganda would withdraw completely by 1 August 2027, with “no UPDF in Somalia after that”.

Two decades in Somalia

Uganda was the first country to deploy troops to Somalia, in 2007, and more than 40 UPDF battle groups have served there under successive African Union missions: AMISOM, ATMIS and now AUSSOM. The UPDF is widely credited with helping to reclaim Mogadishu from al-Shabaab, protecting federal institutions and training Somali National Army forces