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Uganda Begins Troop Withdrawal from Somalia After 20 Years
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In Short: Gbcghanaonline and Africa both noted that General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's army chief and son of the president, announced the withdrawal on the social media platform X, emphasizing that it would mark the end of Uganda's operations in Somalia.
According to the BBC, Uganda's acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi announced on Monday that the first group of troops deployed to Somalia under a bilateral arrangement had already returned home, with more expected to follow in a few days.
Cnbcafrica reported that an estimated 4,500 troops are currently in Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), alongside about 2,000 deployed through bilateral arrangements.
The BBC reported that General Kainerugaba stated all forces, including those under the African Union mission, would exit by the end of 2027 in a phased withdrawal.
Magezi told the BBC that Somalia was expected to 'assume full responsibility for security' as Uganda's operations concluded.
Both the BBC and Gbcghanaonline reported that a 12-month transition plan was due to begin in January, giving Somalia and the AU time to seek alternative sources of funding.
The BBC reported that General Kainerugaba wrote on X, 'As we promised, we have started withdrawing UPDF from Somalia. After 20 years of a lot of blood and sacrifice, we are handing over security to our Somali brothers.'
The BBC reported that the withdrawal would mark the end of Uganda's operations in the Horn of Africa country.
The BBC reported that the withdrawal would allow Iraq and its international partners to begin a new chapter focused on enduring security cooperation under Iraqi leadership.
The BBC reported that Iraq would hold four 'Sovereignty Days' as a national holiday to mark the withdrawal.
The BBC reported that the withdrawal concluded a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region.
The BBC reported that Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell described the withdrawal as the conclusion of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region.
The BBC reported that President Donald Trump hailed the withdrawal during a White House Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, calling it 'a great day for America' after years of 'very bad decision making' that turned Iraq into a 'quagmire.'
What's confirmed
- General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of defence forces and son of the president, announced the withdrawal on the social media platform X.
- Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the troops and equipment completed an “orderly departure” and described the withdrawal as the conclusion of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organised military threat in Iraq and across the region.
What's still developing
- Uganda was the first African country to deploy troops to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), established in 2007 to help protect the country's transitional government from attacks by Islamist militants.
- A first contingent of 109 Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) troops reportedly left the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday, following an announcement by Uganda's army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
- It was not immediately clear on Tuesday how close Malian troops were to the town and whether they would immediately re-occupy it.
- Cross-river exchanges have persisted for years since the Russian withdrawal from the river's right bank.
- “Conditions are becoming favourable for the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from some parts of west Rajasthan around September 19,” IMD said.
- The normal date for the monsoon’s withdrawal from Northwest India is September 17, with a standard deviation of four days.
- Before the retreat begins, however, the region is likely to witness thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds.
- In a statement, Kataib Hezbollah secretary general Abu Hussein Al Hamidawi said “the resistance has won this round, and the victor is the one who imposes his conditions on the enemy”, referring to the withdrawal of the US-led coalition from Iraq on Wednesday.
- The September 30 deadline for the withdrawal was initially tied to the disarmament of militias but was pushed back to June next year.
- In January, Iraq announced that coalition advisers had completed their withdrawal from federal areas, but logistical support for operations in Syria would continue via a base in Erbil, the main city in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
- The US withdrawal on Wednesday ends Washington’s 12-year operation supporting Iraqi forces in the fight against and defeat of ISIL, which began in 2014.
- Appearing soon after at a White House event celebrating Hispanics, he spoke at length about the withdrawal and said, "It's been a long time with very bad decision making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place. It was a quagmire. For many, many years it lasted. But soon that part of history will be over."