Addis Ababa, October 5, 2007 – Burundian battalions that will be deployed to Somalia at the behest of the African Union completed their six-week training course yesterday, according to allAfrica.com.

More than a hundred trainers from the US army supervised this training on combat tactics and ceremonies marking the end of this training took place in Camp Gakumbu, it was indicated.

Burundian Chief of Staff General Major Samuel Gahiro thanked the United States of America for this training and praised the determination of the Burundian army to help other countries to find peace.

The two battalions composed of 1,700 soldiers have also been trained by French soldiers.

The date for their deployment has not yet been set since the necessary logistical means necessary have not yet been collected.

The United States of America has promised to provide for these two battalions communication materials while France has promised to provide transport support.

The troops' deployment was postponed early July of this year due to lack of transportation and communication means, it was pointed out.

Ten officers of the Burundian army made a short mission to Somalia in August of this year and concluded that Burundian troops could be deployed to the country.

The deployment of these two battalions will be the first large scale mission involving soldiers from Burundi.

Source: Walta Information Center