Uganda Ready to Send 5,000 Troops to Somalia  

President Museveni has told United States officials that Uganda is ready to deploy 5,000 additional troops to strengthen the military operations of the African Union Mission in Somalia against the deadly al-Shabaab insurgents.

In a meeting with Donald Yamamoto, the US acting US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, the president said Uganda would only send more troops to Somalia if the international community commits to regular funding and donates equipment, force enablers and multipliers such as attack helicopters.

“The President said he can deploy 5,000 more soldiers to finish the job on the condition that they are given equipment and force multipliers,” a source familiar with the discussion said. “He said AMISOM must go to the heart of the al-Shabaab and destroy them from there to finish the job.”

The deteriorating security situation coupled with suspicions of external involvement prompted the Somali President Mohammed Abdullahi to fly to Kampala last week for emergency talks with President Museveni.

The two leaders met at State House Nakasero in Kampala. President Museveni sent away ministers from the meeting and a photo that State House released afterwards captured senior military, intelligence and Defence ministry officials in attendance.

One source suggested that the exclusion of politicians means the Ugandan leader was likely weighing a military, rather than diplomatic, solution to the Somalia crisis.

Uganda, with more than 6,000 troops in Somalia, is the largest contributor to the 10-year-old AU-led mission. The operation has lately been threatened by reduced funding, non-payment and declining morale of the combat soldiers and defections to al-Shabaab of Somali troops, already too weak to hold liberated territories.

Goobjoog News