{The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) is to deploy two battalions in Nigeria to join in the fight against the Boko Haram Islamist militia, APA learns here Wednesday.}
This move is part of the continental effort to tackle the conflict with the insurgents.
According army sources, the UPDF is ready to deploy up to two battalions in northern Nigeria to face Boko Haram that is known for abductions, ruthless massacres, burning of churches and other public institutions.
The sources said that the contingent has already received a briefing from the UPDF High Command and could be deployed in the next two weeks.
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Katumba Wamala confirmed the developments in an interview Wednesday, saying that the army is only waiting for clearance from theAfrican Union before it deployment.
As UPDF, we are always ready to deploy where there is a problem, but for Nigeria’s case, we are waiting for “some smallâ€� clearance from the African Union,General Katumba Wamala said.
The spokesperson of Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Fred Opolot said, Uganda’s decision is in response to an appeal made by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan at last week’s African Union summit for help to fight Boko Haram.
Ugandan soldiers have been involved in peacekeeping missions and combat in Somalia, South Sudan, DR. Congo and recently the Central African Republic where Lord’s Resistance Army’s Joseph Kony and his rebels are based.
Boko Haram has recently launched cross-border attacks from Nigeria into Cameroon and Chad as part of its drive for an Islamic state in the north-east of Nigeria.
African leaders agreed last week at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, to send 7,500 troops to fight the Boko Haram insurgency. The US and Iran have also rallied against the militia.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also said that he supports the deployment of AU troops to fight Boko Haram.
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