Uganda begins troop withdrawal from Somalia, ending 20-year mission by 2027

Uganda announced Monday it has started pulling its troops out of Somalia, marking the beginning of the end for its 20-year peacekeeping presence. The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) will immediately draw down troops under bilateral agreements and gradually withdraw all forces—including the 4,500-6,000 deployed under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM)—by December 2027. Another 2,000-2,500 Ugandan troops operate under bilateral arrangements.

The move comes after the United States, a key financial backer, withdrew funding from a critical UN logistics mission that the AU coalition relies on. Washington cited frustration over slow progress against Al-Shabaab, which still controls large parts of central Somalia, and the Somali government's failure to unite the country or deliver political reforms. Uganda was the first country to deploy troops in March 2007 when the AU mission began.

For Nigeria, this signals growing strain on African Union peacekeeping operations continent-wide. Nigeria contributes significant troops to AU missions in Mali, Somalia, and previously Sudan. If US funding continues drying up, Nigerian contingents could face similar resource gaps, equipment shortages, and pressure to withdraw prematurely—potentially leaving security vacuums that insurgents exploit.

The AU's ability to sustain missions without Western logistics backing is now the critical question. Nigeria's defence planners should be assessing contingency options for current deployments.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/11/02/uganda-begins-troops-withdrawal-from-somalia-army/