Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after 20 years

• Ugandan troops first deployed to Somalia in 2007 as part of an international military coalition.
• The mission faced mounting pressure after the US decided to withdraw funding.
• Uganda was the first country to contribute troops to the AU mission established to stabilize Somalia.
• The withdrawal is part of a phased drawdown to end the deployment helping Mogadishu fight the al Shabaab insurgency.
• The decision to withdraw comes after nearly two decades of involvement in Somalia.