President Yoweri Museveni. | Photo: New Vision

At least 54 Uganda People’s Defense Force soldiers were killed during last month’s attack by Al-Shabaab militants in the African Union base in Somalia, President Yoweri Museveni revealed.

Museveni said in a tweet Saturday those killed include a senior commander.

“We discovered the lifeless bodies of fifty-four fallen soldiers including a commander. These terrorists attempted another ill-fated attack on Baraawe town but our forces dealt a significan blow forcing them to flee,” Museveni said.

On May 26, 2023, Al-Shabaab terrorist group attacked the base of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) at Buulo Mareer, killing scores of Ugandan soldiers and destroying military equipment.

In his tweet, Museveni praised the UPDF company for demonstrating “remarkable resilience and reorganizing themselves, resulting in the recapture of the base.”

He blames two commanders whom he said had ordered the soldiers to retreat.

“The mistake was made by two commanders, Maj. Oluka and Maj. Obbo, who ordered the soldiers to retreat. They have been apprehended and will face charges in the Court Martial.”

The Al-Shabab militants, reportedly 800 in number, ravaged the heavily-guarded Atmis facility with suicide bombers and heavy artillery.

Museveni said days after the deadly incident that the UPDF peacekeeping forces in Somalia had panicked when Al-Shabab terrorist group struck and overrun their base.

The commander-in-chief of the country’s army, questioned the response of his forces at the base and the failure of both human and technology intelligence to detect the attackers.