The group claims the employer failed to pay their agreed wages and cover medical bills, leaving many badly injured and mired in debt. The workers guarded institutions and military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan in the wake of the U.S. invasion of both nations from 2005 to 2022. They were recruited by private security companies contracted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The guards, who were cheaper than American personnel, helped meet the need for increased security at U.S. buildings after they became targets for insurgent attacks following the toppling of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ugandans were not the only Africans hired to protect U.S. buildings. The companies also recruited from Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Burundi and a number of West African countries.
SOURCE: SEMAFOR
