On Tuesday, the Ugandan military announced plans to deploy a combat aircraft to Somalia to boost peacekeeping efforts.
Richard Karemire, the spokesperson for Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), confirmed that the aircraft would support African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops.
Uganda was the first country to deploy troops as part of the AMISOM contingent in March 2007.
Moreover, Ugandan soldiers form a significant part of the 22,000-strong peacekeeping force in Somalia.
AMISOM has played a crucial role in the last 13 years in defending the unstable Somali government, which enjoys the backing of the West, from Islamist insurgents.
Working under AMISOM, the Ugandan forces successfully drove Al-Shabaab militants from Mogadishu and several Somalia cities from 2011-2014.