President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday broke his silence on the Friday morning attack on the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) base in Somalia by the Al-Shabab terror group saying they would regret their actions.
Museveni also revealed that the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Wilson Mbadi, had set up a board of inquiry (BOI) and the full facts will come out, including the details of the casualties. Museveni gave details of the attack saying, the attack took place at 5.30 am on Friday.
“We had an unfortunate incident in Somalia where our force has operated successfully, ever since 2007. In the area of Bulo-Mareer, there was an FOB (Forward Operational Base) manned by a company of UPDF soldiers.
Those defences are quite strong although they are guarded by light weapons,” the President said. Museveni said the base had two tanks, two 14.5mm anti- air-craft guns and a 107mm Katyusha rocket launcher.
“Some of the soldiers there did not perform as expected and panicked, which disorganised them and the Al-Shabaab took advantage of that to overrun the base and destroy some of the equipment,” Museveni said.
“The panic, it seems, was totally unnecessary because, in fact, both the anti-tank ditch and our soldiers had destroyed the 3 vehicles of explosives outside the FOB. The suicide bombers or whatever were forced to blow themselves up before they gained entry into the base,” he said.
Museveni said many of the UPDF soldiers withdrew to the next FOB, nine kilometres away. The terrorists were many, about 800 or so according to the UAVs.
“Hence, it was a missed opportunity, to annihilate them. The operations are continuing and they will regret their actions,” he said.
Museveni also said it was criminal for anybody involved, to send into such a theatre, soldiers who are either not suited for that mission or not properly prepared for it. “Details will come out after the BOI has finished its work,” Museveni added.
On Friday, the Army in a statement said they had sent the Commander Land Forces, Lt Gen. Kayanja Muhanga, to Somalia to lead the team that would investigate the attack. Most of those in the base belonged to the land forces where Lt Gen. Muhanga was the commander.
Muhanga is a battle-hardened UPDF officer who previously led a team of the UPDF in Somalia and fought the Al-Shabab insurgents destroying most of their bases.
In their statement released on Friday, the Al-Shabab claimed they had killed 137 UPDF soldiers, destroyed military equipment and also taken over weapons from the bases.
However both the ATMIS and UPDF have not provided figures of the casualties even though they confirmed the attack.
President Museveni’s statement in full; Ugandans and Bazzukulu. Greetings. Things are moving well on a number of fronts. I have concluded a tour on wealth creation issues in the Masaka zone. Masaka zone is doing well with coffee, bananas, palm oil and the dairy industry.
However, in the night of Thursday, at the 11th hour of the night and ten minutes (what the Europeans call 5.30 am of Friday), we had an unfortunate incident in Somalia where our force has operated successfully, ever since 2007.
In the area of Bulo-Mareer, there was an FOB (Forward Operational Base) manned by a company of UPDF soldiers. Those defences are quite strong although they are guarded by light weapons.
There were two tanks, two 14.5mm anti- air-craft guns and a 107mm Katyusha rocket launcher. Some of the soldiers there did not perform as expected and panicked, which disorganized them and the Al-Shabaab took advantage of that to overran the base and destroy some of the equipment.
The panic, it seems, was totally unnecessary because, in fact, both the anti-tank ditch and our soldiers had destroyed the 3 vehicles of explosives outside the FOB. The suicide bombers or whatever, were forced to blow themselves up before they gained entry into the base.
Moreover, our UAVs were watching the whole scenario from up in the sky and directing fire. The CDF has set up a Board of Inquiry (BOI) and the full facts will come out, including the details of the casualties.
Many of the soldiers withdrew to the next FOB, nine kilometres away. The terrorists were many, about 800 or so according to the UAVs.
Hence, it was a missed opportunity, to annihilate them. The operations are continuing and they will regret their actions.
Condolences to the country and the families of those who died. This unfortunate incident should be used to remind all those concerned, that operations in Somalia and other theatres, are combat missions and not welfare missions where you can access UN allowances.
It is criminal for anybody involved, to send into such a theatre soldiers who are either not suited for that mission or not properly prepared for it. Details will come out after the BOI has finished its work.
