Two Ugandan soldiers killed in ambush by Al-Shabaab

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU (Caasimada Online)—Ugandan military says two of its soldiers with African Union peacekeeping force were killed in ambush attack by Al Shabaab in Marka town, some 91km southwest of Somali capital Mogadishu.

Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki, Uganda’s deputy military spokesperson, said two of its soldiers had been killed in the surprise attack on Sunday after the soldiers on petrol were ambushed by Al-Shabaab.

Deo Akiiki says 11 Al-Shabaab militants were also killed in the cross fire exchange in the town.

“The attack happened on Sunday night while our soldiers were on patrol, ahead of Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s visit to the region”, he said.

A civilian also lost life in the cross fire exchange, according to Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki, Uganda’s deputy military spokesperson

Uganda contributes some 6,500 soldiers to the 22,000 African Union peacekeeping force deployed to pacify the war-torn Horn of Africa country.

The Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab was pushed out of the Somali capital in 2011 — and subsequently other towns and cities — by soldiers from the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Caasimada Online

Mogadishu News Desk

Caasimada@live.com