Ugandan President Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni has sent a clear warning to Al-shabaab terrorists in Somalia, and spoken on a number of issues regarding on an attack on his national army UPDF base attack, including the thirst for UN allowances and the panic in the camp during the deadly raid.
Museveni confirmed that in the night of Thursday, at the 11th hour of the night and ten minutes or what the Europeans call 5.30am of Friday, there was a raid on the Buulo-Mareer base of the UPDF.
Rightly describing the incident as “unfortunate,” the president and former bush war commander also explained that the UPDF had hitherto successfully operate the Buulo-Mareer base since 2007.
He also went on to reveal that the Forward Operational Base (FOB) in Buulo-Mareer manned by UPDF officers had “quite strong” defences but added that these were being “guarded by light weapons.” That there were two tanks, two 14.5mm anti- air-craft guns and a 107mm Katyusha rocket launcher.
Museveni complained of panic and a wanting response on the side of the Ugandan officers. He went on to say that the disorganization in the base made it possible for the about 800 terrorists to succeed at obliterating key equipment and making the Ugandan soldiers vulnerable.
“Some of the soldiers there did not perform as expected and panicked, which disorganized them and the Al-Shabaab took advantage of that to overran the base and destroy some of the equipment. The panic, it seems, was totally unnecessary because, in fact, both the anti-tank ditch and our 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,” explained Gen Museveni.
“Moreover, our 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. Many of the soldiers withdrew to the next FOB, nine kilometres away. The terrorists were many, about 800 or so according to the UAVs.”
The 78-year-old Ugandan long-serving ruler also lamented that the UPDF and ATMIS had missed a great opportunity to “annihilate” Al-Shabaab but noted and vowed that “the operations are continuing and they [Al-Shabaab] will regret their actions.”
The president did not reveal how many Ugandan soldiers had been killed in the attack but sent condolences to the country and the families of those who died. But he confirmed that on his directives, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi has set up a Board of Inquiry (BOI) and that “the full facts will come out, including the details of the casualties… Details will come out after the BOI has finished its work.”
He also complained about senior officers who had sent unsuitable soldiers to a deadly war simply because there were promises of huge allowances.
“This unfortunate incident should be used to remind all those concerned, that operations in Somalia and other theatres, are combat missions and not welfare missions where you can access UN allowances,” said Museveni.
“It is criminal for anybody involved, to send into such a theatre soldiers who are either not suited for that mission or not properly prepared for it.”
Meanwhile, Museveni has sent his trusted top general to Somalia hours after the deadly attack. (See Details Here).
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