Ugandan Forces Kill 189 Al Shabaab Militants in Somalia Raid

The Ugandan forces deployed in Somalia have carried out attacks on the strongholds of a local group affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

The targeted raids, according to the UPDF, also destroyed two mounted weapons called “technical” and motorbikes in separate fire strikes.

According to a statement issued by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Deputy Spokesperson Lt Col Deo Akiiki on Friday, Ugandan troops raided Al Shabaab hideouts in the thickets of Sigaale village approximately 99.5 KM Southwest of Mogadishu City., as the Daily Monitor reported.

The (UPDF) contingent under African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has killed at least 189 Al Shabaab fighters in a raid that could be the biggest ever since UPDF deployed in Somalia.

According to a statement issued by Lt Col. Akiiki on Friday, Ugandan troops raided Al Shabaab hideouts in the thickets of Sigaale village approximately 99.5 KM southwest of Mogadishu City.

Unlike in the past, UPDF now has attacking helicopters that have augmented the UPDF firepower against Al Shabaab  .

According to the Commander of the Ugandan troops in Somalia, Brig-Gen Don William Nabasa, they didn’t suffer any losses or injuries.

“We are committed to ensuring and maintaining security and relative peace,” said Gen. Nabasa during his operational assessment of frontline troops at forwarding base in Janaale adding: “Given the available capabilities and knowledge of terrain analysis, such as spot targeted operations will continue in efforts to degrade and defeat Al Shabaab insurgents, even in the wilderness.”

In 2015, the Al Shabaab attacked the UPDF base in Janaale in what was one of the deadly attacks that left 19 Ugandans dead.

“Such intelligence-led operations have equally forced defections, where one Al Shabaab low-level commander Eden Osman reported with his sub-machine gun, five loaded magazines, and 63 rounds of ammunition to Somali National Police station in Qoroyole town, approximately 75 KM North West of Mogadishu city,” the statement reads.

Mogadishuthe capital and largest city of Somalia; a port on the Indian OceanMore (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)