Uganda’s military has confirmed the deaths of seven Ugandan soldiers following intense fighting with Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, underscoring the ongoing security challenges facing the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The soldiers, part of the Ugandan contingent under AUSSOM, were involved in a three-day battle in the Lower Shabelle region, where militants launched a siege on a town later recaptured by allied forces. The Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) spokesperson, Brigadier General Felix Kulayigye, confirmed the casualties in a statement to AFP on Sunday.
“Unfortunately, we lost seven soldiers during the battle,” Kulayigye said. The incident highlights growing concerns over Al-Shabaab’s renewed aggression and the resource limitations affecting AU peacekeeping operations in Somalia.
AUSSOM, which took over from the former African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), is currently operating with 11,146 troops, significantly below the number required to sustain its operations. In April, the mission formally requested an additional 8,000 troops to bolster its ranks and counter rising insurgent threats.
While previous campaigns by Somali forces, supported by AU troops, had successfully pushed Al-Shabaab into retreat during 2022 and 2023, the militant group appears to be regaining momentum.
In March 2025, militants attacked a convoy transporting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the capital, Mogadishu, raising alarms about the group’s persistent capabilities and reach.
Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group, has waged a violent insurgency in Somalia for more than 15 years, aiming to overthrow the central government and establish a strict version of Islamic rule.
The loss of Ugandan peacekeepers is a stark reminder of the volatile security situation in Somalia and the need for sustained international support to ensure stability in the Horn of Africa.
