Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
7 June 2011
Kampala — The army yesterday released the identities of the UPDF soldiers killed by al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia over the weekend. They are Lt. Colonel Patrick Tibihwa, the commander of 23rd Battalion and the deputy commander of Uganda Battle Group Six (Ugabag Six), Lt. Lawrence Tugume from the Tank Battalion, Cpl. Abdullah Isabirye and Pte. Augustine Kuloba.
The army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye, said the bodies were brought home yesterday. Col. Tibihwa hails from Kasese District, Bukonzo County, Mukunyu Sub-County, Nyamahunza Village, while Lt. Tugume is from Kiruhura District. Cpl. Isabirye comes from Masindi District while Pte. Kuloba is from Bududa District, Manjiya County. Col. Tibihwa was killed by a bullet while the rest were hit by mortar shells.
The army sent condolences to the families of the deceased in a statement issued yesterday. “Our heartfelt condolences go to the beloved families of our fallen comrades. As UPDF, we are proud of those tremendous achievements registered by our gallant combatants in Mogadishu. They are succeeding where others could not dare. Their blood has not been shed in vain,” the statement said.
Col. Tibihwa is the highest ranking officer to be killed in Somalia. Col. Kulayigye said the dead soldiers were mopping up the areas captured by the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) last week. It is not clear how many Ugandan soldiers have died in Somalia but security sources put the number of dead to over 50 since Uganda deployed in Mogadishu in 2007.
Ugandan has some 5,000 peacekeepers fighting al-Shabaab in Mogadishu and expect to add 2,000 more at the end of this month. Burundi is the only other country to contribute to African Union mission in Somalia.
Source: Daily Monitor
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