Teams from across Uganda’s Defence Forces demonstrated their military skills this week at the 2026 edition of the Interforces Drill Competition. The event, which featured 40 teams, aims to promote precision, discipline, operational readiness, and cooperation among different military branches. The Special Forces Command won the overall championship trophy.

These drills occurred amid controversy surrounding Uganda’s decision to deploy 1,200 soldiers to the Gaza Strip. This deployment is part of the International Stabilization Force, agreed upon under a disarmament deal reached last month. The force, proposed by US President Trump’s Board of Peace, is intended to secure the territory following the Israel-Hamas conflict by monitoring the ceasefire, training Palestinian police, supporting security, and facilitating humanitarian aid delivery.

The rationale behind Uganda’s agreement to send troops to Gaza remains unclear, with some opposition lawmakers questioning the motives and seeking clarity on the funding of the deployment.

Separately, about 1,800 Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers are scheduled to join the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia later this year.

Sources