124 Ugandan police officers have today left for Somalia. The police officers have been deployed to train Somali Police under the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM.
The police officers have been deployed to train Somali Police under the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM.
According to Uganda’s police director in charge of Interpol, Fred Kiyaga, the
policemen will stopover in Nairobi, Kenya where they will undergo a short orientation course before they head to Somalia.
Kiyaga said that the policemen were part of Uganda police officers who were trained and commissioned to serve abroad. The deployment took place after a team of officials from AMISOM interviewed a group of policemen trained for foreign mission.
All those deployed, according to Kiyaga, passed the interview.
“The police officers will be assigned in groups according to AMISOM schedule. Their mission is to train Somali police so that it can handle law and order,” he added.
Uganda has over 2000 troops on a peacekeeping mission in Somalia under
AMISOM. Burundi has over 1000 troops.
Uganda and Burundi are the only countries to send thier troops for
peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Although many other African countries promised to send their forces, they have, up to now, failed to fulfil their promise.
So far Uganda has lost 7 of their soldiers in Somalia and Burundi three. They were killed by Somali militants who attacked their bases.
