The Ugandan government has deployed a new contingent of its military forces to Somalia to participate in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, following the completion of their pre-deployment security training.
A send-off ceremony was held for the troops at the Peace Support Operations International Training Centre (IPSO-TC), located in Singo, Nakaseke District, Uganda.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Commander of the Ugandan Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Felix Busizoori, urged the soldiers to maintain military discipline, cooperation, and unity throughout their mission in Somalia.
Busizoori stated that cohesion and cooperation are vital to mission success, noting that the troops must execute their duties as a unified team.
Furthermore, the troops were exhorted to treat the Somali population with respect, protect civilian rights, and strictly refrain from unauthorized social media usage during their deployment.
The Commandant of the training center, Col. Moses Nabaasa, likewise urged the soldiers to uphold patriotism, discipline, and the core military values of the Ugandan Armed Forces.
He emphasized that since the troops trained together as a team, they are expected to demonstrate strong collaboration and unity during their operational mandate in Somalia.
Meanwhile, Uganda has rotated out forces that completed their tour of duty in Somalia, replacing them with this newly trained contingent.
Uganda remains a major troop-contributing country to the African Union mission in Somalia, with its forces historically leading security operations and supporting Somali government forces in counter-insurgency efforts against Al-Shabaab.
This troop rotation forms part of the standard replacement cycle for military units participating in AUSSOM to sustain security operations in Somalia.