Military troops from the East African nations, the United States and the European Union on Monday started a two-week joint military training exercise in eastern Uganda.
Uganda’s military spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire said the joint Command Post Exercise is aimed at improving their capabilities to respond to regional security threats and enhance peacekeeping operations.
Maj. Gen. Peter Elwelu, the Commander of Land Forces in the Uganda People’s Defense Forces opened the exercise that has attracted troops from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Netherlands, and United States at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center, in the eastern town of Jinja.
The exercise will include scenarios related to conducting peacekeeping operations under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Uganda and Kenya have deployed peacekeeping troops under AMISOM to help pacify Somalia.
The Horn of African country has been dogged by an Islamist insurgency waged by al-Shabaab, which has killed thousands and displaced millions others.
