President Museveni has informed the general public that the slain Ugandan soldiers will be flown back home this week.

On May 26th, the Al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia attacked a UPDF base killing, injuring and abducting many at a UPDF Forward Operating Base in Bulo Marer.

The UPDF lost up to 54 soldiers including a commander in the attack, the biggest number since UPDF deployment in Somalia, in 2007. The UPDF first deployed in Somalia was in 2007 under the UN Africa Union Peace Keeping Mission in Somalia(AMISOM) now African Union Transition Mission in Somalia(ATMIS)

The names of the lost soldiers have not been released yet as per the UPDF agreement. In this agreement the next of Kin of a soldier killed in action is supposed to be contacted first before the public gets to identify them.

Under the force agreement with AU , the next of Kin of the soldier killed in action is compensated up to $50,000 an equivalent of 185m.

Two commanders have been accused of ordering the soldiers to withdraw instead of forcefully driving back the attackers. The charges are still not yet specified. According to the UPDF Act, a person subject to military law that displays cowardice suffers death or life imprisonment.

“The mistake was made by two commanders, Maj. Oluka and Maj. Obbo, who ordered the soldiers to retreat. They have been apprehended and will face charges in the court martial”, Gen. Museveni.

Courtesy photo.