Hundreds of Al-Shabaab militants have been put out of action (POA), dozens more captured alive, and a huge cache of weapons and communications equipment recovered from the violent armed group in the ongoing counteroffensive conducted by Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) troops serving under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF).
Col Chris Magezi, the military assistant of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), said the operation, code-named 'Operation Silent Storm', has "achieved tremendous success so far".
The equipment recovered includes hundreds of assault rifles, machine guns, RPGs, anti-tank weapons, IEDs, bombs and ammunition, and several VHF field radios. "Hongera sana UPDF and the SNA warriors for the decisive victory against the terrorists!" he said.
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) and Head of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, has praised Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel serving in Somalia for their dedication to the mission's mandate.
During his maiden visit to the Sector One Headquarters in Mogadishu, Ambassador Diene lauded the troops' high morale and commitment, particularly following the recent capture of Bariire from Al-Shabaab.
