The battle of Buulo Mareer took place on 26 May 2023, when Al-Shabaab fighters stormed an African Union military camp manned by Ugandan forces in the town of Bulo Marer, Lower Shabelle, Somalia.

[5] Buulo-Mareer is a strategic town in the region of Lower Shabelle, and was captured by African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces during Operation Indian Ocean in August 2014, after being an Al-Shabaab stronghold since November 2008.

At approximately EST 05:00 (GMT+3), at least 3 SVBIED explosions were carried out by Al-Shabaab suicide bombers at several defense posts of the camp, killing the UPDF troops stationed there and breaching the base.

[7] In a propaganda footage later released by the group, the militants are seen heavily pressuring the UPDF troops in the base with intense gunfire using PK machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in high numbers from different fronts.

Furthermore, there were four UPDF soldiers who managed to hide from the militants in dense bushes on the outskirts of Buulo-Mareer, allegedly surviving on their urine for six days until the town was recaptured by ATMIS reinforcements on May 31.

[20] In November 2023, a Ugandan court-martial sitting in Mogadishu found Major Oluka and Colonel Deo Akiki guilty of cowardice and failure to respond to warnings of the impending attack and ordered their dismissal from the service.

"[22] In a public statement made by President Yoweri Museveni days later in Kampala, he criticized the UPDF of corruption, claiming that instead of sending 'battle-hardened soldiers', 'cooks and bodyguards' are sent to Somalia as a means to make money instead of looking at the risks.