Ugandan soldiers survived six days before being rescued from al-Shabaab militants, VOA Somali has reported.
The al-Shabaab overran their base, and according to VOA, four soldiers, including a lieutenant, survived by hiding within and around the base in the town of Bulo Marer, 110 kilometres south of Mogadishu.
Brigadier General Felix Kulaigye said troops were found after the Ugandan contingent retook the base on Thursday.
“When we recovered, they were weak because they were only surviving on urine,” Kulaigye said.
“Each of the soldiers was hiding alone, in separate locations.”
The report comes days after President Yoweri Museveni announced that at least 54 Ugandan soldiers including a commander were killed by al-Shabaab during an attack in Somalia in May.
The terrorists had launched an attack on a base housing African Union peacekeepers in Bulamarer, located 130 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu.
Museveni said that two commanders who ‘made mistakes’ had been apprehended and are set to face charges in the Court Martial.
He has accused the two of ordering the soldiers to retreat.
According to Museveni, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) had since recaptured the base from the armed group.
“Our soldiers demonstrated remarkable resilience and reorganized themselves, resulting in the recapture of the base. We discovered the lifeless bodies of fifty-four fallen soldiers, including a Commander,” Museveni said. BY THE STAR