Uganda said it has started pulling its forces out of Somalia after nearly 20 years, with the first units of a phased withdrawal already home, according to BBC and Deutsche Welle^1,2.

BBC reported that acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi said Monday that the first group of troops deployed through a bilateral arrangement had arrived back in Uganda and that others would follow in a few days¹. He said all forces, including those under the African Union mission, would exit by the end of 2027¹.

A Ugandan military statement, cited by DW, said the first cohort of the phased operation had arrived back in Uganda². "The first cohort of troops under the phased withdrawal operation have already arrived back in Uganda," the statement said².

BBC said a first contingent of 109 Uganda People's Defence Forces troops left Mogadishu on Friday after army chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced a handover to Somali forces¹. DW also reported that 109-soldier departure, citing local media².

Uganda was the first African country to send troops under the African Union Mission in Somalia in 2007^1,2. DW said that force was succeeded by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM².

BBC and DW both put Ugandan strength at about 4,500 troops under the AU mission and about 2,000 under bilateral agreements^1,2. DW said the military pledged to withdraw all of those forces by the close of 2027².

Gen. Muhoozi wrote on X that Uganda had started withdrawing the UPDF after 20 years and was handing security to Somali forces, BBC reported¹.

DW said AUSSOM's funding is in doubt after Washington decided to end funding for a U.N. logistics office the coalition relies on, and that the U.S. has voiced frustration with the fight against al-Shabab². The U.N. Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia closed on Saturday, DW reported, transferring remaining political work to the Somali government and U.N. agencies². Somalia is due to hold elections in May 2027, with insecurity still a factor². Al-Shabab continues to hold large areas of central Somalia, DW said².