The UPDF commander of the Land Forces, Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga and the Somali National Army(SNA) CDF, Gen Odowaa Yusuf Rageh have  agreed to implement a curfew on the highway from Afgoye to Barawe in lower Shabelle region.
The development which takes immediate effect after commanders harmonizing with local leaders will mean no more movement of vehicles and motorcycles at night.This was reached upon on Monday at Goloweyn Forward Operating Base where the two Generals met commanders and troops serving under ATMIS in sector one.

The generals agreed that by stopping vehicles movement at night will deny Alshabaab use of Vehicle Borne Improvised Devices as a weapon of choice to carry out complex attacks just like it happened last week when a UPDF forward operating base in Buulo Mareer, approximately 120km southwest of Mogadishu in Lower Shabelle region.

The two generals instructed commanders on ground to, “agree with local leaders to put a ban on movement of vehicles and motor cycles at night. This will deny Alshabaab use of vehicles laden with bombs to attack our FOBs.”

Lt Gen Muhanga who is in Somalia to investigate the Friday morning deadly attack on the UPDF base informed troops that the findings will help inform decisions to be implemented going forward.

“Our findings will be submitted to Commander in Chief the President of Uganda for the way forward.” Gen Kayanja said.

Lt Gen Muhanga’s  team comprises  Col Stuart Agaba, the Director Operations in  Land Forces, Col Elvis Byamukama; the movement control commander and Lt Col Albert Kashakamba the Director Intelligence Land Forces.

The development comes on the ongoing investigations by both the UPDF and ATMIS in the deadly Friday morning attack on a Ugandan army forward operating base by Al Shabaab militants in which several soldiers were killed and others taken as prisoners of war.

To many, the attack has reminded everyone of the harm that Al Shabaab can cause, and now that it was thought to be on its weakest point due to heavy defeats it has been subjected to courtesy of ATMIS.