Uganda suspends military cooperation with Turkey amid political tensions

Uganda's army said Saturday it had suspended military cooperation with Turkey, after demands for Ankara to hand over a prominent political blogger and fierce critic of President Yoweri Museveni.

Army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni's son and widely seen as his father's likely successor, has repeatedly clashed with Turkish authorities over efforts to extradite Fred Lumbuye.

The political commentator faces 15 criminal charges, including incitement to violence, spreading false information and computer misuse.

On Friday, thousands of Ugandans affiliated with the Patriotic League of Uganda, a civic and political pressure group associated with Muhoozi, protested outside the Turkish embassy in the capital Kampala.

"The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Turkiye," army spokesman Chris Magezi said in a statement.

"The measure will remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved," Magezi added, without providing further details.

Kainerugaba reposted the statement on X.

The two countries have maintained close defence ties for nearly a decade, covering military training, arms and surveillance equipment, technology transfers and cooperation on counter-terrorism and security.

The directive follows threats to cancel a $3 billion railways contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi, and to expel Turkish nationals from Uganda