STORY: Ugandan Battlegroup honoured for outstanding

service in Somalia

DURATION: 5:14

SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION

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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND

DATELINE: 15/APRIL/2019, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn, African Union Mission in
Somalia (AMISOM) Force Commander, arriving to attend a medal award ceremony

2. Med shot, parade of honor mounted by Ugandan soldiers at the medal award
ceremony

3. Wide shot, parade of honour

4. Close up shot, AMISOM Force Commander

5. Close up shot, parade of honour

6. Med shot, AMISOM Force Commander saluting

7. Med shot, parade of honour

8. Wide shot, parade of honour

9. Wide shot, AMISOM Force Commander inspecting the parade of honour

10. Med shot, AMISOM Force Commander pinning a medal to the outgoing battle
group commander

11. Close up shot, medal

12. Close up shot, Col. Jackson Kayanja, Commander of Battle Group 24 saluting after
receiving the medal and certificate

13. Med shot, Lt. Kato Hassan, Battle Group 24 Public Information Officer receiving a
medal

14. Close up shot, medal

15. Wide shot, Lt. Kato Hassan salutes after receiving a medal

16. Med shot, AMISOM Force Commander pinning a medal

17. Wide shot, Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango, the Uganda People’s Defence Force
Contingent Commander in Somalia awarding a certificate to an officer

18. Pan shot, officers after receiving the medals and certificates

19. Wide shot, officers on parade

20. Med shot, officers holding the certificates

21. Close up shot, parade of honour

22. Close up shot, flags

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn, African Union
Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Commander

“I commend Battle Group 24 Commander Col. Jackson Kayanja and staff of the Battle
Group for their industrious approach in containing Al-Shabaab from conducting
complex attacks in the Mogadishu International Airport area, for (contribution to)
peace and development in the districts of Banadir, Afgooye and some parts of
Waleweyn.”

24. Med shot, officers at the ceremony

25. Close up shot, Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango, the UPDF Contingent Commander in
Somalia

25. Med shot, Col. Jackson Kayanja, Commander of Battle Group 24 at the ceremony

26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn, African Union
Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Commander

“Because of you, the people of Mogadishu, that is, the 2.5 million people here are
secured. This is because you sacrificed your lives.”
27. Med shot, officers at the ceremony

28. Close up shot, an officer at the event

29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango, Uganda People’s Defence
Force Contingent Commander

“We drive, we transport supplies, nobody touches civilians living between

Mogadishu and Baledogle because of the (protection) of the Battle Group 24 under
AMISOM. We can move civilians with our own resources from Mogadishu through
Afgooye, down to Marka, thanks to the efforts by Battle Group 24. Thank you all for
a job well done. When you go back home be ambassadors of the African Union. Tell
the story, don’t be shy. The story of AMISOM in Somalia is a story of success, all over
the world.”

30. Wide shot, Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn, AMISOM Force Commander,
Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango, the UPDF Contingent Commander in Somalia and other
officers dancing

31. Med shot, officers dancing and singing

32. Wide shot, officers clapping

33. Med shot, officers clapping

34. Med shot, group photo

35. Wide shot, group photo

Ugandan battlegroup honoured for outstanding service in Somalia

Mogadishu, 15 April 2019 - The African Union has awarded medals to a contingent
of Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers for their outstanding role in
securing strategic towns and major supply routes in Somalia.

The troops, who have completed their one-year tour of duty, were honoured for
their hard work in safeguarding Mogadishu International Airport zone, areas
neighbouring Mogadishu and major supply routes connecting the capital city and
other nearby towns.

“I commend Battlegroup 24 for their industrious approach in preventing Al-Shabaab

from conducting complex attacks in the Mogadishu International Airport area and
securing districts of Banadir, Afgooye and parts of Waleweyn,” Lt.. Gen. Tigabu
Yilma Wondimhunegn said at a medal awards ceremony held in Mogadishu, today.

Lt. Gen. Tigabu noted that residents of Mogadishu and neighbouring areas were able
to go about their business, due to security provided by the outgoing battle group.

Deployed in April last year, the battlegroup’s area of responsibility included Arbiska,
Baledogle, Afgoye, Lantabur and Albao. The contingent was also responsible for
securing key government facilities and installations including State House,
Parliament, seaport and Mogadishu International Airport zone.

The UPDF Contingent Commander, Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango, praised the
battlegroup for their commitment and hard work in fulfilling AMISOM’s mandate of
stabilizing Somalia.

“We can now drive, transport supplies from Mogadishu to Baledogle and civilians
living around this area are also safe thanks to the efforts made by Battlegroup 24
under AMISOM,” said Brig. Gen. Kabango.

The contingent commander noted that efforts to clear main supply routes was
bearing fruit, saying AMISOM can now transport consignments from Mogadishu,
through Afgooye to the port city of Marka.

The UPDF, Brig. Gen. Kabango noted, has succeeded in Somalia due to its
involvement in counter insurgency operations back at home and participation in
regional peacekeeping efforts in the continent.

Some of the major successes registered by the outgoing battlegroup are the
liberation of strategic town of Sabiid Anole, in Lower Shabelle, from the control of
Al-Shabaab and seizing and disabling a large number of improvised explosive devices
(IEDs) in its area of operation.

On his part, the Battlegroup Commander, Col. Jackson Kayanja, thanked the
leadership of AU Mission for supporting his troops during their tour of duty.