Kampala|Forum of Horn Vision"HAPC"
Wednesday|June3 , 2026
The Ugandan government announced the deployment of a new battalion of its troops to Somalia, in a move to bolster the ranks of the African Union Transitional Military Mission ( AUTM ) there and contribute to enforcing strategic security.
This announcement came after the troops heading to Somalia completed an intensive training program in the capital, Kampala . The training covered key areas, focusing on operational peacekeeping and civil protection mechanisms.
In a briefing, General Fred Mwesigye , commander of the 1st Ugandan Infantry, stressed the need for troops to adhere to the highest standards of discipline, professionalism, and teamwork throughout their mission.
The new forces will assume pivotal tasks in combating the ” Al-Shabaab ” movement and securing areas of stability, specifically in the Lower and Middle Shabelle basins.
There were also widespread praise from leaders for the previous experience of Ugandan forces who participated in operation ” Silent Storm ” in the same region.
These Ugandan reinforcements come at a sensitive time, as the operational landscape of the “Osom” mission faces critical pressures in an international funding crisis, as the African mission faces tangible financial challenges following the decision of some international donors to reduce their financial support.
Despite these challenges, Kampala continues to rotate and replace its forces regularly to ensure that no security vacuum occurs in Somalia.
It is worth noting that Uganda maintains its leading position as the largest troop-contributing country to the ” Osom ” mission , where its forces play a leading role in combat operations against the Al-Shabaab movement, in addition to training and qualifying Somali security forces to enable them to manage the country’s security in the future.
On the other hand, observers believe that the Mogadishu government is relying on development partnerships with some regional countries, while at the same time still depending on international forces to secure the country, forgetting that there is no development or progress without having a national security force that moves in parallel with the country’s progress forward.
