Somalia needs help to generate enough troops to take over security responsibilities – UPDF

The Contingent Commander of the UPDF troops in charge of ATMIS Sector 1 in Somalia, Brig Gen Keith Katungi, reveals that the security situation in Sector 1 is generally calm with isolated cases of al-Shabaab attacks mainly by using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

However, Katungi said there is a need to help Somalia generate enough troops to take over security responsibilities from African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Katungi was speaking a 3-day workshop organised by Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) to take stock of lessons learnt in the Somalia Mission at Singo Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSO-TC).

The workshop was held under the theme Aligning Pre-Mission Training to Meet ATMIS Operational Requirements in ever Changing Environment.

The Commander Land Force Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga applauded PSO-TC for continuing the culture of the Lessons Learnt workshop since 2015 to engender the generation of quick reaction forces.

He further appreciated the Somalia Mission partners from the United Kingdom, United States, France and Netherlands who have been supporting UPDF during preparation of troops since the early days of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) now African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

“It is very good to partner. No one can fight terrorism alone”, Gen Kayanja observed.

The Commandant of PSO-TC; Brig Gen Max Gumisiriza stated that, the objective of the PSO-TC is to deliver high standard of education and training to the members of UPDF and allied armed forces in order to equip them with adequate knowledge to participate in multinational peace support operations.

“I’m happy to report that the centre has so far trained and deployed more than 40 Battle Groups that have done a tremendous job in stabilizing Somalia while operating with other stakeholders in the mission area”, Gen Gumisiriza noted.