For more than a month now, Ugandan People Defence Force have been receiving training from British Royal Marines on maritime operations.
Currently based in Entebbe, the 1 Assault Group Marines (1AGRM) of the British Royal Marines have been teaching the Ugandan forces how to conduct amphibious assault operations, including assaulting beaches, and boarding and searching vessels.
The training maritime and amphibious training is been carried out on behalf of the tri-service British Peace Support Team (Africa) on Uganda’s request.
Sam Dwyer, a British reservist, who spoke about the training, said: ‘We have been training the 10th Marine Battalion of Uganda’s People Defence Force for mission-specific pre-deployment training before they go to Somalia. The training has been split between ground combat and working with their coxswains as their tasking in Mogadishu, Somalia will see them patrol the fisheries and the sea.’
He also disclosed that the training also includes small boat handling, raids along shorelines, how to carry out patrols and man checkpoints.