Marie Antoinette
Member
- Mar 18, 2026
- 72
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The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has suspended all defence and military cooperation with the Republic of Türkiye with immediate effect, in a dramatic escalation of months-long tensions between the two countries.
In a statement issued Saturday, September 19, 2026, from Kampala, the UPDF said:
"The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Türkiye. The measure will remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved."
The statement was signed by Col. Chris Magezi, Acting Director Defence Public Information, Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs / UPDF.
What we know:
- Effective immediately: All military cooperation, including training, technology transfer and joint programs, is on hold.
- Indefinite: The suspension will remain until "outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation" are resolved. No further details on those issues were given in the release.
- Context: The announcement comes a day after a protest mobilized by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala. The Turkish Embassy closed on September 18 in anticipation of that demonstration.
Gen. Muhoozi had in recent weeks declared he had "severed anything to do with the Turks in Uganda" and ordered Turkish nationals to leave the country, as part of a dispute that has included demands over Somalia security contributions, the $3.2B Standard Gauge Railway contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi, and the case of Ugandan critic Fred Lumbuye living in Türkiye. d9928a92
Until now, there had been no formal government expulsion order and both countries had continued to maintain diplomatic relations, with cooperation spanning trade, infrastructure and education.
This is the first official UPDF statement formalizing a break in military ties. Ankara has not yet responded.
In a statement issued Saturday, September 19, 2026, from Kampala, the UPDF said:
"The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Türkiye. The measure will remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved."
The statement was signed by Col. Chris Magezi, Acting Director Defence Public Information, Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs / UPDF.
What we know:
- Effective immediately: All military cooperation, including training, technology transfer and joint programs, is on hold.
- Indefinite: The suspension will remain until "outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation" are resolved. No further details on those issues were given in the release.
- Context: The announcement comes a day after a protest mobilized by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala. The Turkish Embassy closed on September 18 in anticipation of that demonstration.
Gen. Muhoozi had in recent weeks declared he had "severed anything to do with the Turks in Uganda" and ordered Turkish nationals to leave the country, as part of a dispute that has included demands over Somalia security contributions, the $3.2B Standard Gauge Railway contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi, and the case of Ugandan critic Fred Lumbuye living in Türkiye. d9928a92
Until now, there had been no formal government expulsion order and both countries had continued to maintain diplomatic relations, with cooperation spanning trade, infrastructure and education.
This is the first official UPDF statement formalizing a break in military ties. Ankara has not yet responded.
