MOGADISHU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has hailed the outgoing Ugandan troops for intensifying the fight against al-Shabab terrorists in the coastal Barawe region in southern Somalia.
ATMIS Force Commander, Diomede Ndegeya awarded medals and certificates to the soldiers from battle Group 32 on Saturday for their contribution to the ongoing peacebuilding process in Somalia.
"You have done this mission and your country proud. You have served with professionalism, discipline, and commitment in the advancement of the mission's mandate. And it is partly through your commitment and sacrifice that Somalia is enjoying relative peace," Ndegeya said in a statement issued on Saturday evening in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
According to Ndegeya, upon their deployment in the different military bases in Barawe and Beldamin, the soldiers conducted and sustained key military operations to degrade al-Shabab.
The soldiers, who were deployed to the mission in March 2021, are due to rotate out of the mission, having completed their one-year tour of duty, and will be replaced by Battle Group 35.
Keith Katungi, contingent commander of Ugandan troops in Somalia, said the troops helped secure main supply routes and population centers in their area of responsibility, which enabled local communities to go about their lives normally.
Katungi also lauded the soldiers for conducting several successful offensive operations against the al-Shabab terrorists, including ensuring the successful completion of parliamentary elections in Barawe.
Katungi advised the commander of the in-coming battle group to be vigilant and tactful in the execution of the Mission's mandate in his Area of Responsibility. ■