Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after two decades

Uganda announced on Monday that it had begun pulling its troops out of Somalia, where it has been a key player in efforts to counter insurgents for almost two decades.

"The first cohort of troops under the phased withdrawal operation have already arrived back in Uganda," a statement from the Ugandan military said.

Uganda was the first country to send troops to Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping force set up in 2007 to support the Somali government battling Al-Shabab Islamist militants.

Uganda "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," the military's statement added, referring to the latest African Union mission.

Around 4,500 Ugandan troops are stationed in Somalia as part of AUSSOM, as well as about 2,000 deployed under bilateral agreements.

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

An initial contingent of 109 Ugandan soldiers left the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, local media reported.

Why is Uganda withdrawing its troops from Somalia?

The future of the African Union mission, AUSSOM, has been thrown into doubt following a recent US decision to end funding for a UN logistics office the military coalition relies on.

Washington, the coalition's biggest donor, has voiced frustration with a lack of progress in the fight against Al-Shabab, which continues to control large swaths of central Somalia. The US has also accused the Somali government of failing to unite the country and implement political reforms.

Uganda's withdrawal announcement on Monday also came as the UN ended its political mission in Somalia.

The UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia closed on Saturday after more than three decades of peacebuilding in the East African country, transferring responsibility to the Somali government and various UN agencies.

Somalia is due to hold elections in May next year, but insecurity and opposition disputes are threatening to derail the process.

Somalia has been gripped by a deadly insurgency led by Al-Shabab for more than two decades. While Ugandan forces have played a crucial role in driving the militants from the capital and several major towns, the group has recaptured territory in recent years and now controls significant areas in the center and south of the country.