The African Union mission to the U.N. support office in Somalia has confirmed that peacekeepers plan to take over four bases near Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, as Ugandan troops withdraw. According to a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the bases are critical to protecting Mogadishu and the peacekeepers will move in during troop rotations scheduled for November. This move aims to prevent al-Shabab militants from exploiting a security vacuum.
Uganda has announced that it will withdraw its troops from Somalia by the end of 2027, ending a 20-year deployment. The withdrawal is being carried out in two stages, with troops deployed under a bilateral agreement with Somalia's government leaving immediately. Uganda's military spokesman, Col. Chris Magezi, confirmed that the first soldiers have already returned home and the remaining forces will gradually withdraw by the end of 2027.
The Ugandan troops being withdrawn were deployed under a bilateral agreement with Somalia's government after an April 2025 summit where African leaders called for more peacekeepers to fight al-Shabab. These troops helped recapture and hold territory over the next 17 months. The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia will take over four positions - Sabid-Anole, Bariire, Awdheegle, and Bulonagad - during the troop rotations scheduled for November.
Somali army commander Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud visited troops in Barawe on Monday, receiving briefings on local security, according to an army statement. He instructed troops to remain on high alert and intensify operations against al-Shabab. The statement did not say whether Somali soldiers would take over the AU bases. Somali and African Union troops captured Barawe from al-Shabab in 2014.
The withdrawal of Ugandan troops comes amid a difficult security environment in Somalia, with funding shortages accelerating the withdrawal. According to Farhan Isak Yusuf, deputy executive director of Somali Public Agenda, the Somali army lacks resources and faces a challenging security environment. Lower Shabelle, where the Ugandan troops are stationed, is critical to protecting Mogadishu.
The United Nations' political mission in Somalia closed recently, ending more than three decades of successive missions that helped rebuild the country and mediate political disputes. However, Somali authorities have portrayed the closure as a milestone toward managing their own affairs. The government is currently dealing with a dispute over the president's right to remain in office and continuing militant attacks.
The security situation in Somalia remains volatile, with at least 20 Somali soldiers reportedly killed in the Bay region last week. The government acknowledged damage to military vehicles but disclosed no troop casualties. The African Union peacekeepers' takeover of the bases aims to prevent al-Shabab militants from exploiting the security vacuum and to support the Somali army in its fight against the militants.
Key points
- African Union peacekeepers will replace Ugandan troops at four bases near Mogadishu to prevent al-Shabab militants from exploiting a security vacuum.
- Uganda will withdraw its troops from Somalia by the end of 2027, ending a 20-year deployment.
- The withdrawal of Ugandan troops comes amid a difficult security environment in Somalia, with funding shortages accelerating the withdrawal.
