Ugandan President Museveni Vows Retaliation for Al-Shabaab Attack, Promises Full Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Incident

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni condemned the deadly Al-Shabaab attack on Ugandan troops in Somalia and promised to retaliate against the perpetrators.

Speaking about the Friday morning attack, which he described as an unfortunate incident, the President expressed disappointment in soldiers who panicked and failed to perform as expected.

The President further noted “It is criminal for anybody involved to send a soldier who is either not suited for that mission or not properly prepared for it. Details will come out after the Board of Inquiry (BOI) has finished its work,”

According to the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), a team led by the Chief of Land Forces, Lt. Gen. Kayanja Muhanga, has been deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, to investigate the incident.

Lt. Gen. Muhanga is a veteran of many combat operations, including those in Somalia, battling the Al-Shabaab, and currently holds the third highest-ranking office in Uganda’s military. The 5,000 UPDF troops deployed in Somalia fall under his command.

The President added that the attack should remind all those concerned that operations in Somalia and other theatres are combat missions and not welfare missions.

Uganda is pursuing Al-Shabaab terrorists since the attack in collaboration with other African Union forces. Investigations are ongoing to identify and hold accountable the individuals and groups responsible for the attack.