Uganda Discloses Casualty Figures from Recent Al Shabaab Attack on Military base

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda announced for the first time that a total of 54 Ugandan soldiers tragically lost their lives during an attack conducted by the al Shabaab on a military installation in Somalia last week.

President Museveni confirmed that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) successfully reclaimed control of the base from the group subsequent to the assault. While he previously acknowledged Ugandan casualties, he refrained from providing specific details regarding the incident involving the troops, who are actively deployed as part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

However, President Museveni stated the previous week, assuring that Al Shabaab will face consequences for their hostile actions directed at ATMIS personnel.

Al Shabaab, an armed group persistently waging attacks against the federal government and African troops, asserted responsibility for perpetrating suicide bombings and claimed the lives of 137 soldiers at the targeted military base. 

Their ongoing struggle, which began in 2006, aims to overthrow the Federal government of Somalia in pursuit of establishing an Islamic state based on their distinct interpretations.