{UAH} Ugandan Guard Unit Arrives in Mogadishu for UN Personnel, Bases Protection

Somalia - Ugandan Guard Unit Arrives in Mogadishu for UN Personnel, Bases Protection

17 APRIL 2014

Mogadishu — The first division of United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) departed Uganda for Somalia to protect UN staff and facilities in the war-torn Mogadishu on Thursday, Garowe Online reports.

A plane carrying 64 soldiers who are set to comply with a new UN mandate landed at Adan Adde International Airport in step towards tight security in and around UN bases in Mogadishu as Al Shabaab targeted the main compound with deadly rampage last year.

"The new soldiers [from Uganda] are not part of our mission [in Somalia], under new UN mandate, they will guard UN bases," said African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) spokesman Col. Ali Adan Humad.

Uganda's military advisor to the UN, Maj. Gen. Silver Kayemba says, the Ugandan guard unit arrived in Mogadishu in response to United Nations request according to Uganda's New Vision: "We got a request for this force from UN in February and in less than two months we are ready to deploy. This means we are ready to maintain peace in the region".

Uganda, a key troop contributing country deployed infantry battalions of the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) in the war-ravaged horn of Africa nation.

The southern part of the country has been recovering from two decades of bloody stalemate and bitter feud that further have deteriorated humanitarian and security situation.

___________________________________

Gwokto La'Kitgum

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