Uganda’s military has announced plans to increase its peacekeeping presence in Somalia following the withdrawal of Burundian troops under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Military spokesperson Felix Kulayigye confirmed that Uganda has been assigned responsibility for an additional sector previously secured by Burundian forces. He emphasized that reinforcing troop numbers is necessary to effectively manage both areas.
“It is unavoidable that we will need to send more troops because our current deployment is insufficient to cover both sectors,” Kulayigye stated, adding that the additional forces will be deployed once AUSSOM finalizes the necessary arrangements.
Uganda has been part of peacekeeping efforts in Somalia since 2007, contributing troops to African Union-led initiatives aimed at stabilizing the country and combating militant groups. Until January, Burundi was among the troop-contributing nations, alongside Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
The withdrawal of Burundian forces has prompted a reassessment of troop deployments to ensure continued security in the region.