{UAH} Durham student spends winter break training Ugandan troops

Durham student spends winter break training Ugandan troops

2:18pm Friday 27th December 2013 in Durham City NewsBy Mark Tallentire, Reporter (Durham)

Lieutenant Rishi Ahluwalia

A NORTH-East student has been enjoying a winter break with a difference – training Ugandan soldiers in the equatorial heat and humidity of east Africa.

Lieutenant Rishi Ahluwalia, a first-year international relations student at Durham University, spent 11 days in temperatures of up to 32 degrees Celsius preparing the Ugandan People's Defence Force to cross into Somalia for peacekeeping operations.

The 21-year-old, from 5th Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was part of a 30-strong British Army team instructing a 1,900-man Ugandan battlegroup in counter-insurgency techniques.

The reservist said: "I'm really enjoying it in Uganda. I was born and raised in Kenya so it's just like coming home.

"A lot of people I know struggle to get their heads around the transition from me being at university to me being a platoon commander, passing on military know-how and commanding 30 guys, some of whom are older than I am and have more experience than me.

"I can't think of a better job to have while at university."

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower