KAMPALA: Uganda's army said Saturday it had suspended military cooperation with Turkey over demands that Ankara 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 protest highlighted growing domestic tensions surrounding the high-profile extradition case, which has strained diplomatic channels between Kampala and Ankara.

"The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Turkey," army spokesman Chris Magezi said in a statement. The abrupt halt marks a significant reversal in bilateral relations, which had previously seen expanding security engagements and strategic dialogues.

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 measure will remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved," Magezi added, leaving the door open for future diplomatic negotiations.