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 Ankunda says UN peace keeping regulations require that a peace keeping force in operation be withdrawn after six months, and replaced by another peace keeping force.He says Uganda delayed to change the peace keeping troops who begun their duties early last year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.
Somali Islamist fighters kill Ugandan peacekeeper
Somalia - Somali Islamist fighters killed a Ugandan peacekeeper and wounded two others on in the capital Mogadishu on Sunday, a spokesman for the African Union force said.
It was the latest in a series of attacks the strengthening insurgency over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Barigye Bahoku said troops were fired on from the rooftop of an apartment building during a routine patrol near the airport. more http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25472082/.
It was the latest in a series of attacks the strengthening insurgency over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Barigye Bahoku said troops were fired on from the rooftop of an apartment building during a routine patrol near the airport. more http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25472082/.
4 AU Peacekeepers Killed in Mogadishu by al shabaab today
Four Africa Union peacekeeping soldiers were killed Monday in a roadside bomb attack in the south of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia,An eyewitness sys that AMISOM soldiers have been onboard a vehicle when the roadside bomb went off that caused huge destruction on their vehicle. Four other soldiers wounded in the explosion.Another eyewitness says the bomb went off underneath of AMISOM convoy vehicles from the airport that was passing in Hamarjajab. "The vehicle upended when the bomb hit" he said. The AU currently has some 2,600 peacekeepers deployed in the lawless Horn of Africa nation, a contingent that falls far short of the 8,000 soldiers pledged by the continental body in 2006.Uganda was the first country to contribute troops and Burundi dispatched its own forces earlier this year.
Bomb kills another Ugandan peacekeeper in Somalia
Two Ugandan Peacekeepers Killed in Somalia
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-15-voa51.cfm
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