Uganda has confirmed that the bodies of dozens of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers killed by al-Shabaab a week ago in Somalia will be flown home this week.
In an interview, UPDF and Defence Spokesman, Brig Felix Kulayigye, said the bodies of the slain soldiers will be flown back into the country this week.
“The process of informing the next of kin [of the deceased soldiers] is going on,” he said.
Remarks of the spokesperson come hours after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni confirmed that at least 54 soldiers, including a commander were killed when al-Shabaab fighters attacked a Ugandan peacekeeping force’s base in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, Saturday.
Al-Shabaab fighters last week stormed the base in Bulamarer, 130 kilometres (80 miles) southwest of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Museveni said that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) had since recaptured the base from the al-Qaeda-linked armed group.
“Our soldiers demonstrated remarkable resilience and reorganized themselves, resulting in the recapture of the base. We discovered the lifeless bodies of fifty-four fallen soldiers, including a Commander,” Museveni said.
Al-Shabaab via its communication channels claimed it had overrun the base and to have killed 137 soldiers at the base.
Al-Shabaab has since 2006 has been fighting to topple Somali government and establish its own administration.
The 20,000-strong ATMIS force has a more offensive remit than its predecessor known as AMISOM.
The force is drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, with troops deployed in southern and central Somalia.
