Written by Chris Muhizi Minembwe Capital News 9:20pm Kampala Uganda Time.
Brig-Gen Felix Kulayigye, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), said in a statement on Saturday that the group will “devise the way forward.” While he did not provide any additional information, he did say that the incident “will not deter our commitment to Atmis’ mandate of ensuring African peace and stability.”
In order to determine the facts surrounding the attack on Ugandan troops during a dawn raid on Friday, the Ugandan military has dispatched a team to Mogadishu, Somalia, under the command of Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga, the Chief of Land Forces.
In a series of coordinated attacks using car bombs and shooting, the Somali militant group Al Shabaab took control of Buulo Mareer Forward Operating Base (FOB) and massacred Ugandan soldiers, shocking Kampala.
At least 50 soldiers were killed in the raid on Buulo Mareer on May 26. Additional casualties are likely.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) base in Bulamarer, 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu, was attacked by the insurgents on Friday.
“Our base was attacked this morning… by al-Shabab affiliates, but we’re awaiting formal word from ATMIS headquarters,” said deputy spokesperson Deo Akiiki for the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).
Al-Shabab, meanwhile, asserted in a statement that it committed suicide bombing strikes and claimed the lives of 137 soldiers.
The number of fatalities was not immediately confirmed by the authorities, and the group frequently provides estimates that are different from those provided by the authorities.
On Twitter, ATMIS, which has 22,000 soldiers, stated that it was evaluating the security situation. Since 2022, when it took over for the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the mission has been supporting the federal government of Somalia in its fight against the armed group with ties to al-Qaeda.
The situation “is now back to normal,” Commander Mohamed Yerow Hassan stated, adding that the terrorists were forced to retreat and flee.
