Ugandan peacekeepers pledged to join the African Union (AU) peacekeeping force for Somalia will be deployed solely in Mogadishu, the country's capital, an AU spokesman said on Wednesday. The 1,500-strong force could go to the lawless city as early as this weekend, following a vote by Uganda's parliament on Tuesday to send troops to aid the AU. | "We can't deploy all over Somalia. We'll be in Mogadishu. 1,500 people is adequate." |
The Ugandan force would secure Mogadishu while the AU awaits troops from other countries to deploy to other Somali cities, Paddy Ankunda, spokesman for the AU mission said on Wednesday. "We can't deploy all over Somalia. We'll be in Mogadishu. 1,500 people is adequate [to secure Mogadishu]."
Nigeria, Burundi, Ghana and Malawi have also pledged troops to the AU misson, but it is unclear when they would mobilise them. |