MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan peacekeepers hospitalized in Uganda

An Uruguayan physician from Congo and a translator were to assist in the corporal's recovery

One Uruguayan soldier needed surgery after sustaining a fractured skull and another was reported to be recovering well after they were both attacked in Uganda while on leave from their peacekeeping group in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to reports, they were “violently assaulted” while in Uganda, and are now hospitalized in Kampala.

Uruguay's Army said in a statement that on August 19 last two members of the “Uruguay IV” Battalion deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo were “violently assaulted” in the city of Kampala in Uganda.

The communiqué also pointed out that the incident took place when a corporal and a private were on leave. They “both belong to the Brigadier General Manuel Oribe group in the city of Montevideo,” the military authorities explained.

The corporal suffered a skull fracture with loss of consciousness and underwent surgery, after which he was evolving favorably, while the private suffered contusions with no serious implications.

Uruguayan Defense Minister Javier García said the operation was successful and the corporal was recovering, while his family has already been notified of the incident. In the next hours, an Uruguayan doctor from the group stationed in Congo and a translator will travel to Uganda to help in the recovery of the wounded soldier, García also explained.

However, the minister denied rumors of an attack against the Uruguayan forces in Congo and insisted that the two servicemen were on leave in neighboring Uganda when they were assaulted and one of them was hit in the head with an iron rod, which caused him to undergo surgery.