Uganda: Extremists try to intimidate African troops in Somalia
March 25, 2007 (KAMPALA) — There is a real terrorist threat in the east African region as Ugandan peacekeepers in Somalia confirmed the presence of active al-Qaeda terrorists cells in the country, the Kenyan TV reported today.
Uganda People’s Defence Forces Chief Gen Aronda Nyakairima has told NTV in Kampala that there could be cells of such characters who are trying to intimidate the transitional government of Somalis and African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
There has been increased fighting in Mogadishu in the past few days sparked by a government crackdown on insurgents, many of whom are believed to be Islamist militias.
Heavy fighting between insurgents and the Ethiopian troops has rocked Somali’s capital Mogadishu with more than 40,000 residents fleeing for safety. More than 24 people including Ethiopian soldiers have been reported killed and hundreds injured in the fresh violence. On Wednesday angry residents drugged and burnt bodies of soldiers on the streets of Mogadishu.
But Somali’s interim government backed by Ethiopia forces are determined to flush out the terrorists.
In Kampala, the Ugandan government is playing down the volatile situation in Somali capital despite the presence of at least 1,500 troops in Mogadishu.
Uganda People’s Defence Forces are currently overseeing the security of the transitional president and have also taken over the control of key areas in Mogadishu including air and sea ports.
Lt-Gen Katumba Wamala, commander of Uganda land forces said “We are not controlling other aspects other than security. That’s all what we are doing. We only took over the security of the airport because it was a critical logistic line for us. We also took over the security of the port because again it was a critical logistic line for our equipment.”
To date there has been no additional peacekeeping forces from other African countries. The Ugandan army which was the first peacekeeping force to arrive in the war-ridden country are carrying out the first phase of limited deployment of troops within the capital and setting up a troop base to prepare for the delayed arrival of the African troops.
The mission’s chief Levi Karuhanga has called for speedy deployment of other African Union troops so Somalia.
“Nigerians were not ready, Ghanaians were not ready and Burundians because it was we and Kenya and others. But since January when they were told and they accepted, I am sure they are quite advanced in preparations.” said Gen Levi Karuhanga,
Even as Somalia prepares to receive peacekeeping troops from other African countries, the safety of Ugandan peacekeepers already in Mogadishu remains uncertain. The continued presence of active terrorist cells is also complicating peacekeeping in a country that has known no peace for decades.
(ST)