The first group of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) troops withdrawn from Somalia has arrived in the country, marking the beginning of a phased exit from a country where Ugandan soldiers have served for nearly two decades.In a statement issued on Monday, Col Chris Magezi, the acting director of Defence Public Information, said the drawdown had taken immediate effect.The withdrawal will extend beyond the bilateral deployment, with the UPDF gradually pulling out all its remaining forces in Somalia, including troops serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), by the end of 2027.Magezi said the move would mark the end of Uganda’s nearly 20-year peace enforcement and stabilisation operations in Somalia, paving the way for the Somali Armed Forces to assume full responsibility for the country’s security.Uganda was the first country to deploy troops to Somalia in March 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The mission was later reconfigured into the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) before being replaced by AUSSOM.Thousands of UPDF soldiers have served in the successive missions, fighting the Al-Shabaab militant group and supporting efforts to rebuild Somali state institutions.At its peak, Uganda had more than 6,000 troops in Somalia, operating mainly in Sector One, which covered Mogadishu and parts of the Lower and Middle Shabelle regions.Magezi did not disclose the number of soldiers being withdrawn under the bilateral arrangement, saying further details would be communicated in due course.However, reports indicate that the first group of 109 UPDF soldiers left Mogadishu on Friday, following an announcement by the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.The withdrawal comes as the African Union mission faces funding and logistical challenges, with troop-contributing countries raising concerns over delayed reimbursements and shortfalls in support from international partners.The broader transition is intended to enable Somali security forces to progressively assume responsibility for national security, with the African Union’s current plan targeting December 2027 for completion of the process.There have also been reports of disagreements between Uganda and Turkey over their respective roles and engagements in Somalia, creating friction around the bilateral deployment.However, the UPDF has not publicly identified these concerns as a reason for the withdrawal.The post Uganda begins to withdraw troops from Somalia after 20 years appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.