Uganda army suspends 15 soldiers for alleged misconduct in Somalia

Uganda's military has suspended 15 soldiers who were peacekeepers in Somalia over various allegations of misconduct, the military said Thursday. The suspended soldiers, including two generals, were deployed to Somalia as part of the African Union (AU) force there. 

"We are doing a general appraisal on performance of the force," Uganda's defense and army spokesman Paddy Ankunda told Agence France-Presse news agency. "It's not sexual harassment alone," Ankunda said, but added the concerns were "one aspect we are looking at."

"Those are allegations. We are investigating. Until the investigations are completed, that's when we will know their involvement [in sexual abuse], but for now they are suspended," he said, without specifying the allegations against the former peacekeepers.

The suspensions follow a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report in September that addressed the alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of Somali women by AU troops in the Somali capital Mogadishu. 

HRW said at the time that AU troops from Uganda and Burundi, relying on Somali intermediaries, "used a range of tactics, including humanitarian aid, to coerce vulnerable women and girls into sexual activity." 

Some soldiers had refused to wear condoms, passing on sexually transmitted infections, the group's report said.

Maria Burnett, a senior HRW researcher in Africa, said Thursday that she hoped there would be a full investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse. 

"We are pleased to see that there are a range of investigations into sexual exploitation and abuse within AMISOM," she said, referring to the AU mission in Somalia. "We hope investigations ensure the safety of victims and witnesses, and we look forward to a public report with more details of the inquiries and any prosecutions."

This is not the first time Ugandan troops in Somalia have faced allegations of misconduct. Last year about 40 Ugandan soldiers, including a brigadier-general who held a high-ranking position with the peacekeeping force, were recalled from Somalia and arrested over allegations that they stole from the mission.

Since 2007 Ugandan troops have been deployed to Somalia, where the AU force helps the country's Western-backed government to fight Islamist Al-Shabab armed fighters.

Wire services