Army recovers weapons looted in Somalia attack

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces and the Somalia National Army have recovered weapons that were stolen from a military base that was overrun by al-Shabaab insurgents last week.

The al-Shabaab insurgents attacked a forward operating base (FOB) accommodating Ugandan troops in Buulo Mareer, Lower Shabelle in Somalia, killing a yet to be known number of soldiers and injuring others before making off with several weapons that had been abandoned at the facility.

According to a statement the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATIMS) issued yesterday, they pursued the al-Shabaab insurgents, who were withdrawing from the base and “a substantial number of the terrorists have been eliminated. The joint force has also retrieved multiple weapons looted from the FOB.”

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The Buulo Mareer FOB accommodated between 100 and 200 soldiers, who fled the base during the attack, leaving weapons behind.

Al-Shabaab claims to have killed 137 soldiers and captured others, an allegation the ATMIS and Ugandan authorities are yet to refute.

The Ugandan government, without mentioning the number, admitted to losing soldiers.

The United States military carried out airstrikes on the militant group as they carried away their loot.

President Museveni said majority of the soldiers were able to flee to another military base nine kilometres away.

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To stop constant use of vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) to attack military bases in Somalia at night, the army commanders from Uganda and Somalia have imposed a curfew on vehicles travelling on the highway of Afgoye to Barawe in Lower Shabelle at night.

In a statement by Maj Peter Mugisa, the spokesperson of the Ugandan contingent in Somalia, the agreement was reached after the UPDF Commander of Land Forces, Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga, and the Somali National Army (SNA) Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, visited the commanders and troops serving under ATMIS in Sector One at Goloweyn Forward Operating Base in Somalia.

“[They] have jointly agreed to enact curfew on the highway (main supply route) from Afgoye to Barawe in lower Shabelle region. No more movement of vehicles and motorcycles at night. The order shall take effect immediately after commanders on ground harmonise with the local leaders of Marka and Kuutnuwarey districts,” the statement reads in part.

Lt Gen Kayanja visited Somalia to investigate the attack on the Ugandan military base and report back to President Museveni.

“Our findings will be submitted to the commander-in-chief, the President of Uganda for the way forward,” Lt Gen Kayanja said.

Lt Gen Kayanja told the soldiers that al-Shabaab have been weakened and asked them to be brave.

 “It is not that we don’t fear to die. We do. However, a well-briefed soldier conquers fear,” Gen Kayanja said.

Lt Gen Kayanja was accompanied by Col Stuart Agaba, the director of operations in the Land Forces; Col Elvis Byamukama, the movement control commander; and Lt Col Albert Kashakamba, the director of intelligence.

Background

The Buulo Mareer base accommodated between 100 and 200 soldiers, who fled the base during the attack, leaving weapons behind.

Al-Shabaab claims to have killed 137 soldiers and captured others, an allegation the ATMIS and Ugandan authorities are yet to refute.  The Ugandan government, without mentioning the number, admitted to losing soldiers.