Uganda Begins Withdrawing Troops From Somalia After Nearly 20 Years as Handover to Somali Forces Nears

Uganda has begun pulling its soldiers out of Somalia, closing the first chapter of a military presence that has lasted for almost two decades.

The announcement, made in Kampala on Monday, November 2, 2026, turns a long-discussed handover into a visible movement of troops, with the first group already reported back on Ugandan soil.

For Somalia, the moment is both a milestone and a test: the security work carried for years with outside help must now pass, step by step, into Somali hands. Uganda withdraws troops Somalia November 2026 — and the handover it begins will test Somali forces, the African Union and the wider region for more than a year.

1. What Uganda announced on November 2

The announcement marked a shift from planning to movement. For years, the idea of a Ugandan exit from Somalia had been discussed in terms of conditions, timelines and handovers. On November 2, 2026, that discussion acquired a concrete form: soldiers were reported to be leaving, and the first group was reported to have arrived back in Uganda. That visible step is what gives the announcement its weight, even though the wider withdrawal is still to unfold.

1.1 The first soldiers home

The first group was reported as 109 soldiers leaving Mogadishu, a figure that makes the opening stage of the withdrawal easy to picture but small in comparison with the force that remains. The move was announced by army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and confirmed in a Kampala statement by acting defence spokesperson Col Chris Magezi. Together, those two voices gave the announcement both a senior military source and an official defence statement, which matters when a phased operation is still in its early days.

A first group also carries a symbolic meaning that goes beyond its size. It shows families, fellow soldiers and the wider public that the withdrawal has begun in fact, not only in words. At the same time, it should not be mistaken for the whole operation. The return of just over a hundred soldiers is an opening step in a process that, by the stated timetable, will continue for more than a year, and its importance lies in what it starts rather than in what it finishes.

1.2 What happens in the next few days

In the next few days, the troops serving under bilateral arrangements are expected to complete their withdrawal, as reported. That is a much faster track than the wider African Union phase, and it explains why the early headlines focus on a relatively quick movement. Bilateral troops operate under arrangements between Uganda and Somalia, rather than under the African Union mission, so their departure can be organised on a shorter and more direct timetable.

The days ahead will therefore be a useful test of how smoothly the first stage is handled. Observers will be watching whether departures proceed as described, whether the returning soldiers are received in an orderly way, and whether the areas they leave are handed over without disruption. A calm and orderly first stage would set a steadier tone for the longer phase that follows, while any confusion would raise questions about the planning behind the rest of the drawdown.

2. Why the exit is phased, not immediate

A phased exit is a deliberate choice, and it reflects the complexity of handing over security in a country still facing an armed insurgency. An immediate withdrawal of every Ugandan soldier would leave a sudden gap, and it would place a heavy burden on Somali forces all at once. By spreading the departure over time, Uganda and its partners can test each stage, adjust where needed, and give Somali forces time to take up responsibilities in sequence rather than all at the same moment.

2.1 Bilateral troops first

The bilateral troops are going first, and that order makes practical sense. Because they serve under arrangements agreed directly between the two countries, their withdrawal does not depend on the same multinational planning and approvals as the African Union mission. Their departure can therefore be completed within days, as reported, and it provides an early and visible sign that the wider process has started.

Starting with this group also helps to separate two different questions. The first is whether Uganda can move its own bilateral force home in an orderly way. The second, larger question is how the African Union force will be drawn down over the coming months. Answering the first question quickly does not answer the second, but it does clear one part of the picture and lets attention turn to the longer and more complicated phase.

2.2 African Union troops to follow

All remaining forces, including those serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM, are to be withdrawn gradually, with the close of 2027 as the stated target. That gradual approach gives time for coordination among the African Union, Somalia and the troop-contributing countries, and for Somali forces to prepare for the duties they will assume. It also means that the end of the Ugandan presence will not be a single day, but a process that unfolds over many months.

The longer timetable also carries its own risks. A drawn-out withdrawal can be affected by changes in the security situation, by funding questions and by political debate in the countries involved. For that reason, the gradual pace is best understood as both a safeguard and a challenge: it avoids a sudden gap, but it also requires sustained attention and coordination for well over a year, long after the first headlines have faded.

3. Nearly twenty years in Somalia

To understand why this withdrawal matters, it helps to look back at how long Uganda has been in Somalia and how the mission changed over time. What began as a deployment to support a fragile transitional government grew into one of the longest African Union military engagements on the continent. The soldiers who are now leaving are part of a story that spans generations of recruits, commanders and Somali partners.

3.1 March 2007 and the first AMISOM deployment

Uganda was the first country to deploy troops under the African Union Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM, in March 2007. The mission was set up to support the transitional government against Islamist militants, at a time when Somalia’s central institutions were weak and large parts of the country were contested. Uganda’s early decision to deploy gave the mission its first boots on the ground and set a precedent that other African countries later followed.

That first deployment also shaped Uganda’s role for years to come. As the first contributor, Uganda became closely associated with the mission, its successes and its difficulties. The experience of those early years, when the mission was still finding its footing in Mogadishu and beyond, left a lasting mark on Uganda’s military and on its foreign policy in the region.

3.2 From AMISOM to ATMIS to AUSSOM

Over time, the mission changed its name and its emphasis. AMISOM gave way to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, in April 2022, and ATMIS was followed by AUSSOM from January 2025. Each change was framed as a step towards moving responsibility from the African Union force to Somali forces, with the Somali state gradually taking a larger share of its own security.

The sequence of names tells a story of transition, even if the underlying security challenge remained serious throughout. AMISOM was about establishing a presence and supporting a transitional government. ATMIS put transition in its title, signalling a clearer move towards handover. AUSSOM, with its focus on support and stabilisation, continues that direction. The November 2026 withdrawal announcement is the latest chapter in that long process of trying to hand responsibility over.

4. The forces involved and the numbers reported

The size of Uganda’s force in Somalia has been reported in two parts, reflecting the two different arrangements under which its soldiers serve. Those figures help readers grasp the scale of the withdrawal, but they should be treated with care. They are reported estimates, not confirmed official totals, and the exact numbers can vary with rotations, reporting dates and the way different sources count personnel.

4.1 About 4,500 under the African Union mission

About 4,500 Ugandan soldiers have been reported as serving under the African Union mission. This is the larger part of the force and the part whose withdrawal will take the longest, because it is tied to the African Union’s planning and to the wider handover to Somali forces. The gradual timetable to the close of 2027 applies most directly to this group, and its departure will be spread across many months.

Because this group serves within a multinational mission, its withdrawal is not a matter for Uganda alone. It involves coordination with the African Union, with Somalia and with other contributing countries, as well as decisions about which positions are handed over first and how Somali forces are prepared to receive them. That complexity is one reason why the African Union phase is described as gradual rather than immediate.

4.2 About 2,000 under bilateral arrangements

About 2,000 Ugandan soldiers have been reported as serving under bilateral arrangements, separate from the African Union mission. This is the group whose withdrawal is expected to be completed within days, as reported, and it includes the first 109 soldiers reported leaving Mogadishu. The distinction matters: a faster bilateral track and a slower African Union track are running in parallel, and they should not be confused with each other.

Both figures, about 4,500 and about 2,000, are presented here only as reported estimates, not as confirmed official totals. They give a sense of scale, showing that the withdrawal involves several thousand soldiers in total, but they do not replace an official count. Readers should therefore treat the numbers as a guide to the size of the operation, while watching for firmer figures as the withdrawal proceeds.

5. What Somali forces are taking over

The handover is not a single ceremony or a single location. It is a series of practical responsibilities that Somali forces must assume, area by area and task by task, as Ugandan troops leave. The success of the withdrawal will therefore depend less on the announcement itself than on how well those responsibilities are transferred in the months ahead.

5.1 Security responsibility, town by town

In general terms, Somali forces are taking over the protection of population centres, supply routes and government institutions. Each of those tasks is different. Protecting a town means maintaining a visible presence, responding to threats and reassuring residents that daily life can continue. Securing a supply route means keeping roads open for food, fuel and other essentials. Protecting government institutions means guarding the buildings and people through which the state carries out its work.

Taking over town by town also means that progress will be uneven. Some areas may transfer smoothly, while others may need more time, more personnel or more support. That uneven pace is normal in a phased handover, and it is one reason why observers should judge the process by its overall direction over many months, rather than by any single transfer in any single place.

5.2 The training and readiness question

Training and readiness matter more than the calendar alone. A timetable can say when troops are due to leave, but it cannot by itself guarantee that the forces replacing them are ready for every task they will face. Readiness depends on training, on clear command arrangements, on logistics that can move people and supplies where they are needed, and on regular pay and equipment that allow soldiers to do their jobs with confidence.

Those questions are difficult to answer from the outside, and no invented readiness figures are offered here. What can be said in general terms is that a successful handover needs all of those elements to work together. Training without logistics, or equipment without clear command, would leave gaps. The coming months will therefore be a test of systems as much as of soldiers, and of whether support for Somali forces keeps pace with the pace of the withdrawal.

6. Al-Shabaab and the security risk during a drawdown

Any discussion of the withdrawal must also address the security risk that remains in Somalia. The country has faced a long-running insurgency, and a drawdown does not remove that challenge. It changes who carries the main responsibility for meeting it, and it does so at a time when the insurgents will be watching closely for any sign of weakness.

6.1 A long-running insurgency

Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, has been fighting the Somali government for nearly two decades. Its long presence is one reason why outside forces were deployed in the first place, and why the handover is so closely watched. The group has shown an ability to adapt over time, and its continued activity means that Somali forces will face a serious and experienced opponent as they take on greater responsibility.

That history also explains why the withdrawal is phased rather than sudden. A rapid departure could be presented by the insurgents as a victory, and it could embolden them to test newly transferred areas. A gradual handover, by contrast, is intended to deny them that opportunity, by keeping a substantial force in place while Somali forces build their presence and confidence.

6.2 Why transitions are watched so closely

Transitions are watched so closely because drawdowns can create gaps. When one force leaves an area and another takes over, there is a period in which command, communications and local knowledge are all changing at once. If that period is handled well, the change may barely be noticed by residents. If it is handled poorly, it can create uncertainty, and uncertainty can be exploited.

This is presented here as an analysis of the risk, not as a prediction that any particular attack will happen. No one can know in advance exactly how the security situation will develop, and much will depend on decisions taken in Mogadishu, Kampala and African Union capitals in the months ahead. The point of watching transitions closely is to spot problems early, so that they can be addressed before they grow.

7. What the withdrawal means for Uganda

For Uganda, the withdrawal closes a major chapter in its recent military history, but it does not end its interest in Somalia or in the wider region. The return of soldiers after nearly twenty years will be felt in barracks, in families and in public debate, and it will raise questions about what was achieved, what it cost, and what comes next.

7.1 Cost, sacrifice and domestic politics

Two decades of deployment have been described by Uganda’s army chief in terms of blood and sacrifice, language that reflects the human cost borne by soldiers and their families. That framing matters for domestic politics, because it reminds the public that the mission was not an abstract commitment. It involved real people, long absences from home, and the risks that come with serving in a conflict zone.

The burden of such a long deployment, and the public debate that surrounds it, are discussed here only in general terms, without inventing casualty or cost totals. Any detailed accounting of the human and financial cost would need official figures and careful sourcing, and those are not offered here. What is clear is that a mission of this length inevitably becomes part of national debate, and its ending will prompt reflection as well as relief.

7.2 A regional role that does not end overnight

Uganda’s regional role will not end overnight when its troops leave Somalia. Diplomacy, training, trade and regional security ties can continue after troops depart, and in some ways they may become more important once the military presence is gone. Uganda remains a neighbour and a regional partner, with interests in stability, commerce and cooperation across East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

That continuing role also gives Uganda a stake in the success of the handover. A stable Somalia is in Uganda’s interest, just as it is in the interest of the wider region. Training support, diplomatic engagement and economic links can all help to sustain the gains made over nearly twenty years, even after the last Ugandan soldier has returned home.

8. What remains unconfirmed

For all that is now known about the withdrawal, much remains unconfirmed. That is normal in the early days of a phased operation, when announcements come before detailed plans are published. Readers should therefore treat the timetable and the figures in this article as the current picture, not as a final and complete account.

8.1 The exact completion timetable

The exact completion timetable is one of the main points that remains unconfirmed. Some reporting has put completion in August 2027, while the UPDF statement points to the close of 2027, so the exact month is unconfirmed. That difference may reflect different ways of counting the final stages, different sources, or a timetable that is still being finalised. Until a clearer and consistent official timetable is published, it is honest to present both points and to note the uncertainty, rather than to choose one month as settled fact.

The distinction matters because it affects expectations. A completion in August would mean a shorter overall process, while a completion at the close of the year would allow several more months for handover and coordination. Either way, the direction is the same: a phased withdrawal ending in 2027. The precise month, however, should not be treated as confirmed until it is clarified.

8.2 Questions still unanswered

As the withdrawal proceeds, several questions remain unconfirmed: the exact final troop totals, the detailed phase-by-phase timetable, which bases and areas transfer first, the funding arrangements for Somali forces and any remaining African Union presence, any formal Somali government statement on the timetable, and whether security conditions hold, improve or deteriorate during the drawdown. The answers to those questions will shape how this historic handover is judged, and they will become clearer only as each phase unfolds.

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