The death toll for the Al-Shabaab militants since the attack on Sunday has risen from 30 to 130, the UPDF spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire has confirmed to this website.
On the morning of Easter Sunday, militants from the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab terror group targeted the AMISOM Forward Operating Bases at Quoroyole, Buoolomere and Golwen in Lower Shabelle Region of Somalia.
But the UPDF in a defensive killed 30 Al-Shabaab militants and seized several of their weapons including 4 PK Rifless, 2 Rocket Propelled Guns, 2 Recoiless Guns, 1 Walkie Talkie and 18 Sub Machine Gun Rifles.
Eight of their vehicles that included two Vehicle Born Improvised Explosives were also destroyed.
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira lauded the troops for the gallantry they displayed and described the offensive as a heavy blow to Alshabaab.
“The militants were dealt a heavy blow. Unfortunately AMISOM lost 4 gallant soldiers and six others sustained injuries,” Ambassador Madeira said in a statement issued by AMISOM on 2 April 2018.
“We honour our brave soldiers who are resolute, in continuing to neutralise the insurgents in order to restore peace and stability in Somalia,” he added.
When reports first emerged on Sunday, the UPDF spokesperson, Brig Karemire revealed that 30 of the terrorists had been eliminated in action.
However, a day later, the number grew to 46.
When contacted by SoftPower News on Tuesday afternoon, Karemire clarified that the latest searches in the surroundings of where UPDF repulsed the militants, discovered more dead bodies of the Al-Shabaab.
“As of Sunday evening the number of the Alshabaab militants was 30. But on combing the bushes, the number of the dead was 46 yesterday,” Brig Karemire told this website in an interview.
“With more deaths of the injured, the number of the dead Al-Shabaab this morning was at 62. We have now received an update from the base that the dead militants are now 130”.
He said that the number could increase if more of those injured die.
Meanwhile, there have been concerns about conflicting reports on how many Ugandan peacekeepers died in the attack.
Initially, the authorities in Uganda reported that 4 UPDF soldiers had died and 6 others injured.
However, President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday revealed in a statement that 8 Ugandans had died.
When this website sought clarity from Brig Karemire regarding Ugandans’ concerns about the contradicting figures in the death toll, he said: “There is no contradiction whatsoever”.
“The 4 comrades died in action. Another 4 later died due to injuries. The Commander-in-Chief has indeed condoled with families of our 8 comrades,” the army spokesperson revealed.