The nation today salutes soldiers who died fighting for peace.
Remains of 12 UPDF soldiers who were killed during a brutal ambush by al-Shabaab militants in Somalia arrived at Entebbe Airport on Wednesday. They were received by the deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi and the Chief of Personnel, Brig. George Igumba.
On Tuesday, government applauded the gallant soldiers and seven others that were injured during Sunday’s ambush on a joint SNA/African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISON) UPDF patrol under 7th Battalion of Battle Group 20 at Goryowein.
Families of the departed soldiers were at the airbase, socked in tears, to see their fallen loved ones back home. Brig. Richard Karemire has told local press that a committee has been set up to examine compensation claims for the victims, including the fallen soldiers.
The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa, according to media sources.
It maintains a presence largely in Somalia’s rural areas and continues to pose major challenges to the allied Somali and African Union forces, even as the AU force plans to pull out of Somalia in the coming years and leave security to Somali troops.
Hundreds of African Union soldiers have been killed in recent years as al-Shabab targets their military bases as well.
Sunday’s ambush was one of the deadliest attacks on Ugandan forces in recent years. In September 2015 al-Shabab killed at least 19 Ugandan soldiers at a military base in Janale, southwest of Mogadishu.
male@ugchristiannews.com
