Uganda Begins Troops Withdrawal From Somalia — Army

Uganda said Monday that it had begun the withdrawal of its troops from Somalia, where it has been one of the crucial contributors to an anti-insurgent coalition.

Uganda was the first country to provide troops to Somalia when the African Union set up an international military mission in March 2007 to battle Islamist insurgents in the country.

There have been successive African Union missions since then, and Uganda has remained a key backer with thousands of troops deployed in Somalia.

But the future of international operations has been put in doubt as key financial backers — most notably the United States — have withdrawn funding in recent months.

“The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has embarked on the drawdown of troops deployed in Somalia under bilateral arrangements with the Federal Government effective immediately,” the army said in a statement.

“The UPDF will gradually withdraw all its forces in Somalia, including those currently deployed under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) by the close of 2027,” it added.

The Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group continues to control large swathes of central Somalia despite the international military campaign.

Uganda had 4,500-6,000 troops in Somalia as part of the latest African Union mission and a further 2,000-2,500 under a bilateral agreement.

The US has withdrawn funding to a key United Nations logistics mission, which the military coalition relies upon, with Washington voicing frustration at the lack of progress against Al-Shabaab and the failure of the Somali government to unite the country and make progress on political reforms.

The Ugandan army said its withdrawal “will mark the end of Uganda’s enduring 20-year peace and stabilisation support operations in Somalia, permitting the Somali Armed Forces to assume full responsibility for security in the country.”