Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General David Muhoozi has overseen the deployment of over 1800 UPDF soldiers to Somalia under Africa Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The UPDF troops will leave for Somalia this month where the Ugandan army forms the bulk of the 22,000-strong AMISOM force fighting the al-Shabaab terrorists.
As 1822 more soldiers head out to Somalia, the military leadership has emphasized that they should remain alive, as a dead soldier cannot protect the Somali civilians seeing as earlier in the month the al Shabaab in Lower Shabelle killed eight soldiers.
Battle Group 24 replaces Battle Group 21 which was commanded by Col Chris Ogwal.
Speaking during the send-off of Battle Group 24 at Singo Military Training School, General Muhoozi said they have got lessons from the deaths of soldiers in Somalia, and they know what to avoid and what to pursue.
They will be based in Arabisca, 31 kilometers outside Mogadishu.
