MOGADISHU — Ugandan troops under the African Union Transmission Mission (ATMIS) will remain firm despite the deaths of 54 soldiers last month in southern Somalia, an envoy said Tuesday.
Uganda’s Acting Ambassador to Somalia Nathan Mugisha said the Ugandan troops remain strong in their resolve to fulfill the ATMIS mandate and last month’s attack will not derail their stabilization efforts.
“We are containing the situation, reassessing, and proceeding as scheduled. The incident will not distract us,” Mugisha said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The Ugandan envoy made the remarks after visiting soldiers who are recovering at a hospital in Mogadishu following an attack by al-Shabab militants on the Bulo Marer military base housing the ATMIS on May 26.
Mugisha said the Uganda troops will continue to help facilitate the Somalia stabilization process, and support the government, the Somali National Army and the people so that they can have stability, economic development and transformation.
On Saturday, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni announced the deaths of 54 Ugandan soldiers.
Mugisha, who was accompanied by Mohammed El-Amine Souef, the special representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia, and other officials were briefed on the recovery of the soldiers and those in need of specialized care have already been airlifted to hospitals outside Somalia.
Souef said the condition of the injured soldiers is improving, and morale is high.
“We take this opportunity to express both our sympathy and solidarity, and to also condole with the government and people of Uganda for the loss of lives last week,” he added.
Xinhua
