Ugandan Commander Sounds Alarm at Carbiska Base, Warns Troops to Stay Ready for Al-Shabaab Attacks

Mogadishu (WDN) — A senior Ugandan commander serving with the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has issued a stark warning to troops stationed at the Carbiska operational base, ordering them to maintain heightened vigilance and remain prepared for possible attacks by Al-Shabaab.

Colonel Saul Nabimanya, commander of Uganda’s 46th Battalion under AUSSOM’s First Sector, delivered the warning during an address to soldiers at the Carbiska base, praising their commitment while emphasizing the continuing security risks facing African Union and Somali forces operating around the capital.

Nabimanya commended the troops for their discipline and dedication to their mission, but urged them not to become complacent. He instructed soldiers to maintain high levels of professionalism, discipline and operational readiness, stressing that they must be capable of responding rapidly to any emerging security threat while carrying out their duties in Somalia.

Al-Shabaab Threat Remains

The commander’s warning comes amid continuing concerns over Al-Shabaab activity in areas surrounding Mogadishu and along major roads linking the capital with surrounding communities.

Although Somali and AUSSOM forces have intensified joint security operations in recent months, Al-Shabaab continues to retain the ability to conduct ambushes, hit-and-run attacks and other forms of asymmetric warfare against government and international forces.

Carbiska is considered a strategically important location within the wider security architecture around Mogadishu. The base supports operations aimed at strengthening security and assisting Somali forces as they gradually assume greater responsibility for protecting the country.

For the troops stationed there, the message from their commander was therefore direct: the transition toward greater Somali security responsibility does not mean the threat has disappeared.

In an unusual addition to his security-focused message, Colonel Nabimanya also urged his troops to think beyond their immediate military responsibilities.

He reminded the soldiers that their deployment in Somalia is temporary and encouraged them to consider the lives and responsibilities that await them when they eventually leave the mission and return home.

The commander urged the troops to manage their finances responsibly and make sound decisions that would improve their long-term welfare. His message was effectively twofold: remain alert on the battlefield, but also prepare for life after the battlefield.

Nabimanya emphasized that responsible financial management, professional discipline and forward planning should be treated as part of a soldier’s broader responsibility to himself, his family and his future.

Uganda’s Continuing Role in Somalia

Uganda remains one of the principal troop-contributing countries to the African Union’s Somalia mission and has maintained a major military presence in Somalia for many years.

Ugandan forces have operated in several strategically important areas, supporting Somali security forces in counterinsurgency operations and helping protect key population centers and transportation corridors.

AUSSOM’s broader mandate includes supporting Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabaab, strengthening national security institutions and helping create the conditions for a gradual transfer of security responsibilities from African Union forces to Somali authorities.

That transition, however, remains a delicate undertaking. Somali forces are increasingly expected to take the lead, while AUSSOM contingents continue to provide operational support, training, coordination and security assistance.

Colonel Nabimanya’s latest message highlights the difficult reality facing troops at Carbiska and elsewhere in Somalia. The international security presence may eventually decline, but Al-Shabaab’s ability to exploit vulnerabilities has not disappeared.

For now, the Ugandan contingent at Carbiska remains on alert, operating alongside Somali forces in an environment where a quiet day can quickly become a security emergency. The commander’s message was therefore more than a routine briefing.

It was a reminder that as Somalia moves toward greater national ownership of its security, the forces supporting that transition must remain prepared for the possibility that Al-Shabaab will test them at every opportunity.

WardheerNews

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