Uganda to deploy fresh troops in Somalia
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Ultimate Media
Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Uganda People’s Defence forces says it has finalised training of a new force to take up peace keeping duties in strife torn Somalia.

The Spokesperson for the UPDF, Maj. Paddy Ankunda says the new force will replace the current 1,600 UPDF troops currently doing peace keeping duties in Somalia.

Maj. Ankunda says UN peace keeping regulations require that a peace keeping force in operation be withdrawn after six months, and replaced by another peace keeping force.

He says Uganda delayed to change the peace keeping troops who begun their duties early last year because of the dire insecurity in Somalia as well as logistical challenges.

Ankunda says the new peace keeping comprising of 1,600 peace keeping troops has been well trained and is ready for deployment next month in October.

Uganda was the first country to send peace keeping troops to Somalia and the AMISON (African Union led Peace keeping mission) with 1,600 troops sent there early 2007.

Burundi recently deployed 800 peace keeping troops to boost UPDF efforts in Somali but other countries which committed themselves to send peace keeping troops to Somalia are still reluctant to do so.

Somalia is witnessing an extended crisis due to fighting between the different faction of islamists and tribal leaders. The peace keeping troops are expected to pacify the north-east African country until the interim government of Somalia is able to take charge.

Source: Ultimate Media, Sept 14, 2008

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