Uganda’s army chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, accused the United States of secretly negotiating with Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda.
In a social media post, Muhoozi questioned why Uganda remains in Somalia while Washington allegedly engages in talks with the same militant group.
“Why are we still fighting in Somalia when our ally is secretly talking to Al-Shabaab?” Muhoozi wrote, citing Uganda’s troop losses.
Uganda has been involved in Somalia since 2007, contributing troops to the African Union’s mission aimed at fighting Al-Shabaab and restoring stability.
Neither the United States government nor Al-Shabaab has issued a public response to the allegations made by General Muhoozi.
The U.S. maintains troops in Somalia, conducting airstrikes and counterterrorism operations against both Al-Shabaab and Islamic State fighters in northern mountainous regions.
Uganda was the first nation to send peacekeeping troops to Somalia and continues to guard key government sites in the capital, Mogadishu.
The new African Union mission, AUSSOM, now faces uncertainty after U.S. and EU donors pulled financial support, citing budget concerns and shifting priorities.
