The UPDF Commander for Land Forces, Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, has flagged off the seventh United Nations Guard Unit to Somalia. The Guard Unit comprising of over 600 peacekeepers is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Francis Odikiro.
The event took place at UPDF’s Peace Support Operations and Training Center in Singo, Nakaseke District.
Lt Gen Elwelu informed the UPDF men and women that their mission in Somalia was important to maintain peace in the East African region and fight against global terrorists. He called upon the men in uniform to maintain the high standards set by their predecessors while on similar missions by exhibiting selfless service and maintaining a high level of discipline.
The CDF said that the operations against the Al-Shabaab insurgents will be much easier with the presence of air support.
“The presence of airpower will offer us extensive asymmetric advantages over the unconventional and dispersed enemy in Somalia. With air assets, we will be able to respond quickly with precision fires or inject a quick reaction force once the enemy assembles,” he said.
