KAMPALA, Jan 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — Ugandan peacekeepers killed 189 al-Shabaab militants and arrested two senior commanders in an offensive in the volatile Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region on Friday.
Lt Col Deo Akiiki, Uganda’s deputy military spokesperson in a statement issued here said Uganda’s contingent of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) raided al-Shabaab hideouts in the thickets of Sigaale village, about 99.5 kilometers southwest of the capital Mogadishu.
“The interdiction and on-spot ground target separate operations in Sigaale, Adimole and Kayitoy villages, neighboring Janaale in Lower Shaballe region, saw the forces put out of action 189 al-Qaeda linked fighters and destroyed a number of military hardware and items used by the terrorist attacks,” said Akiiki.
The Uganda People’s Defence Force in a series of targeted raids destroyed two mounted weapons and motorbikes in separate fire strikes,” he said.
He said the timely operations resulted in the arrest of al-Shabaab commanders, Sayid Nuur and Mohad Jabane who have been handed to 83 Battalion of Somali National Army for further management.
“Such intelligence-led operations have equally forced defections, where one Alshabaab 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,” said Akiiki.
He said at the Doncadaafeedow hideout, seven kilometers west of Janaale, the Ugandan forces ground-aerial targets successfully disrupted an Alshabaab scheduled meeting and injured several.
Brig. Don William Nabasa, Uganda’s sector one commander, said the UPDF troops did not incur any loss or injury, nor did any civilian target get affected.
“We are committed to ensuring and maintaining security and relative peace,” said Nabasa.
“Given the available capabilities and knowledge of terrain analysis, such on-spot targeted operations will continue in efforts to degrade and defeat al-Shabab insurgents, even in the wilderness,” he said.
Akiiki said AMISOM successful operations have created relative calmness over the last one month, allowing most farmers to conduct harvests in the Lower Shebelle region.
Uganda provides the bulk of AMISOM troops in the volatile Horn of African country. — NNN-XINHUA
