SOMALIA– A soldier at the rank of captain from the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) on Monday, June 17 shot his colleague dead in Somalia.
The incident was revealed by the Defence Ministry and UPDF Spokesperson, Brigadier Richard Karemire saying that investigations are ongoing.
“It is true. Investigations into the matter have started and ongoing” he confirmed
According to Brig. Karemire the officer after shooting the colleague dead, he turned the gun on himself.
However, the two soldiers’ identity hasn’t been revealed yet.
The deceased were both serving under the UPDF AMISOM (African Mission for Somalia) funded by the United Nations and it is not yet clear what triggered off the shooting
Meanwhile, the incident comes exactly one month after several other soldiers shot themselves on May 13, 2019 in Somalia.
Details of that incident have also remained scanty despite the confirmation by Brig. Karemire.
Incidents of soldiers killing themselves or civilians have become common in the recent past. In 2016, Sgt. Isaac Obua shot dead seven of his colleagues at Makindye Military Barracks before he was gunned down.
In December 2018, the UPDF court-martial sentenced Pte Newton Okello to 80 years in jail for shooting dead a pregnant woman, her husband and their son. In 2013, Private Patrick Odoch killed 11 people near Bombo barracks
