President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assured Ugandans that the Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) manned Foward Operational Base of Bulo-Mareer, Somalia, will regret their actions.
In a statement issued on Saturday, President. Museveni said during the unfortunate attack, some of the soldiers at the base did not perform as expected and panicked, which disorganized them and the Al-Shabaab took advantage of that to overrun the base and destroy some of the equipment.
“In the night of Thursday, at the 11th hour of the night and ten minutes (what the Europeans call 5.30am of Friday), we had an unfortunate incident in Somalia where our force has operated successfully, ever since 2007. In the area of Bulo-Mareer, there was an FOB (Forward Operational Base) manned by a company of UPDF soldiers. Those defences are quite strong although they are guarded by light weapons,” said Gen Museveni who is the Commander In Chief of the UPDF.
“There were two tanks, two 14.5mm anti- aircraft guns and a 107mm Katyusha rocket launcher. Some of the soldiers there did not perform as expected and panicked, which disorganized them and the Al-Shabaab took advantage of that to overrun the base and destroy some of the equipment,”he added.
The panic, according to the President, seems, was totally unnecessary because, in fact, both the anti-tank ditch and the UPDF soldiers had destroyed the 3 vehicles of explosives outside the FOB.
“The suicide bombers or whatever, were forced to blow themselves up before they gained entry into the base.Moreover, our Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were watching the whole scenario from up in the sky and directing fire. The CDF has set up a Board of Inquiry (BOI) and the full facts will come out, including the details of the casualties,” he said.
Gen. Museveni further explained that many of the Ugandan soldiers withdrew to the next FOB, nine kilometres away. The terrorists were many, about 800 or so according to the UAVs.
“Hence, it was a missed opportunity, to annihilate them. The operations are continuing, and they will regret their actions.Condolences to the country and the families of those who died.”
He also urged that the unfortunate incident should be used as a reminder to all concerned parties that operations in Somalia and other theatres, are combat missions and not welfare missions where one can access UN allowances.
“It is criminal for anybody involved, to send into such a theatre soldier who are either not suited for that mission or not properly prepared for it. Details will come out after the BOI has finished its work.”
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