Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has promised to retaliate against Al-Shabaab terrorists who killed Ugandan troops in Somalia. In a statement published on Twitter, the president at the same time criticised the Ugandan troops stationed there, accusing them of failure.
“Some of the soldiers there did not perform as expected and panicked, which disorganized them and the Al-Shabaab took advantage of that to overran the base and destroy some of the equipment,” said Museveni who was for many years a soldier himself before taking power through a coup in 1986.
“This unfortunate incident should be used to remind all those concerned, that operations in Somalia and other theatres, are combat missions and not welfare missions where you can access UN allowances,” he said.
According to the president, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi has set up a Board of Inquiry (BOI) and the full facts will come out, including the details of the casualties.
“Many of the soldiers withdrew to the next FOB, nine kilometres away. The terrorists were many, about 800 or so according to the UAVs. Hence, it was a missed opportunity, to annihilate them. The operations are continuing, and they will regret their actions. Condolences to the country and the families of those who died,” said Museveni.
The militant fighters attacked a forward operating base in Buulo Mareer, about 120 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said in a statement.
The Islamist fighters used Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices and suicide bombers, according to the African Union.
Unverified images shared on jihadi media channels showed about a dozen Ugandan troops, with arms restrained behind their backs, being captured by the militants.
Soldiers from the Ugandan People’s Democratic Army are stationed at the forward operating base as a peacekeeping force.
Reuters news agency cited a Somali army captain saying both sides suffered heavy casualties, but it is unclear how many people were killed. CNN has reached out to ATMIS about the casualty numbers.
Following the clashes ATMIS reinforcements and allies were able to destroy the Al-Shabaab militants’ weapons, the Somali army captain said.
