The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) will increase the number of troops in Somalia by 2,000. This follows militant group al-Shabaab’s Sunday attacks in Uganda, that claimed 74 lives. At the same time, the European Commission and the Somalia Transitional Federal Government condemned the attacks and called for a more decisive action on the militant group.
Igad Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim said the attack on fans watching football World Cup finals between Spain and Netherlands had strengthened the organisation’s resolve to deploy more troops in August, "to help secure the war-torn country".
"After the deployment, the number of Amisom (African Union Mission in Somalia) troops will grow to 8,100," said Mr Maalim at a meeting in Nairobi.
The meeting was called to implement a number of projects under Horn of Africa Initiative, whose key objectives are peace, energy, transport and food security.
"Igad calls upon the international community to strengthen the economic and military support to the Transitional Federal Government to fight these terrorists in Somalia and the region."
There are 6,100 AU troops in the region, but details of deployment of the additional ones will be finalised in the coming weeks, Maalim said.
