(SomaliNet) The spokesman for the African Union peacekeeping mission Captain Pady Ankunda said Thursday that two Uganda soldiers have been wounded in yesterdayÂ’s gun battle with unknown militiamen who attacked a Ugandan convoy as they were passing Km4 roundabout in south of the Somalia capital Mogadishu. | At least 4 civilians were killed by the cross-fire as the insurgents and the Ugandans exchanged heavy gunfire that lasted in 30 minutes. |
Witnesses told Somalinet that a rocket propel grenade fired by the insurgents missed the convoy and hit a nearby restaurant killing at least 10 people, while at least 4 other civilians were killed by the cross-fire as the insurgents and the Ugandans exchanged heavy gunfire that lasted in 30 minutes.
Two Ugandan soldiers were wounded last night after unknown gunmen attacked the African Union convoy passing by KM4 Street, one of Mogadishu’s most hostile roads for the foreign troops. The Ugandans were on their way to Global hotel in north of Mogadishu where some government officials are based when the incident occurred. Paddy Ankunda, the spokesman for the African Union mission in Somalia, has told Shabelle in an interview by phone in Mogadishu that two Ugandan soldiers were injured during the gun battle. “Two African Union UPDF peacekeepers were slightly wounded in the legs. They are fine now and they will recover soon,” he said.
Attacks on the UPDF convoy in the capital came as Somalia’s unknown insurgents vowed they will launch suicide bombings on the Ugandan troops. Asked whether the Ugandan peacekeepers would be operational militarily in the volatile capital or if they would be remain in barracks like the Ethiopian troops, Ankunda pointed out that he hopes the different groups in the country would collaborate with them, clarifying, “The military operations will be there only and only if they can secure the Somali people and the civilians and only if they can bring peace,” he said.
He said over 1,000 Ugandan troops were already in Mogadishu, adding that larger numbers were still arriving in. Ankunda said it is vital for us to meet with Mogadishu clan elders to discuss over the escalating situation and seek ways to find sustainable solution for the conflict. “We can not do anything without them and we call up on them to come to us. They will know us and we will know them, so that we will have dialog over stable Somalia. We don’t want any more fighting here,” he said. It was for the first time that Ugandan troops were attacked in Mogadishu since they reached the capital two days ago.