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|---|
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| Military age | 15 years of age
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| Availability | males aged 15-49: 4,952,945 (2000 est.)
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| Reaching military age annually | ''Unknown''
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| Active troops | ''Unknown''
|
|
| Dollar figure | $95 million (FY98/99)
|
| Percent of GDP | 1.9% (FY98/99)
|
The (UPDF), previously the
National Resistance Army , constitutes the armed forces of
Uganda .
At present UPDF's primary focus is the conflict with the
Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group operating in the country's North which has been condemned by the UN and was declared a Terrorist organization by the US in 2001. Since March 2002, UPDF has been granted permission to carry out operating against LRA bases across the border in the Sudan, and these raids, collectively known as Operation Iron Fist, have resulted in the repatriation of many
Abducted Children being held by the rebels as
Child Soldier s or
Sex Slave s.
UPDF’s own policy of employing children (of the ages of 15 and over) has, however, drawn criticism form the international community and this, perhaps, has limited the level of military aid to Uganda and thus hindered the resolution of this bloody civil conflict.
Prior to 2000,
US Military Forces participated with UPDF in training activities under the
African Crisis Response Initiative . This cooperation was terminated in 2000 as a result of Uganda's incursion into the
Democratic Republic Of The Congo (DRC). Following the June 2003 UPDF withdrawal of troops from the DRC, limited nonlethal military assistance has restarted.
Army, Navy, Air Wing
''males age 15-49:''
4,952,945 (2000 est.)
''males age 15-49:''
2,687,924 (2000 est.)
