Bodies of UPDF soldiers flown home
Jul 15, 2009
THE bodies of three Ugandan soldiers killed last Saturday in Somalia arrived home yesterday.
THE bodies of three Ugandan soldiers killed last Saturday in Somalia arrived home yesterday, reports Barbara Among.
The fallen peacekeepers have been identified as Private Yowasi Kule from Kasese district, Private Salim Otim from Amuria and Private Jespha Okabo from Lira.
They were hit by a mortar shell at their base in Mogadishu. One other soldier, who was injured, is receiving treatment in a Nairobi hospital.
The soldiers were serving with the AMISOM, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
The UPDF announced yesterday that the bodies were being transported to the home districts for burial and promised to meet the expenses.
“We take this opportunity to salute our gallant combatants for the noble Pan-African duty they are performing in Somalia,†the army spokesperson Maj Felix Kulayigye, stated.
“These comrades have not died in vain, but in pursuit of peace in our sub-region, and the entire African continent.â€
However, unlike other countries like Rwanda, Uganda has not conducted any public ceremony to honour the departed comrades.
So far, 14 Ugandan soldiers have been killed since March 2007.
The peacekeepers are only allowed to defend themselves if attacked and protect key sites such as the presidential palace, airport and harbour in Mogadishu. AMISOM, has 4,300 soldiers, 3,000 of whom are Ugandans. The rest are Burundians.
The fallen peacekeepers have been identified as Private Yowasi Kule from Kasese district, Private Salim Otim from Amuria and Private Jespha Okabo from Lira.
They were hit by a mortar shell at their base in Mogadishu. One other soldier, who was injured, is receiving treatment in a Nairobi hospital.
The soldiers were serving with the AMISOM, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
The UPDF announced yesterday that the bodies were being transported to the home districts for burial and promised to meet the expenses.
“We take this opportunity to salute our gallant combatants for the noble Pan-African duty they are performing in Somalia,†the army spokesperson Maj Felix Kulayigye, stated.
“These comrades have not died in vain, but in pursuit of peace in our sub-region, and the entire African continent.â€
However, unlike other countries like Rwanda, Uganda has not conducted any public ceremony to honour the departed comrades.
So far, 14 Ugandan soldiers have been killed since March 2007.
The peacekeepers are only allowed to defend themselves if attacked and protect key sites such as the presidential palace, airport and harbour in Mogadishu. AMISOM, has 4,300 soldiers, 3,000 of whom are Ugandans. The rest are Burundians.