By Halima Athumani

KAMPALA, Uganda

Uganda has sent a 106-men contingent of peacekeeping force -- comprising troops, police and civilians -- to Sudan for a training exercise, an army official said on Tuesday.

"The contingent will participate in the East African Standby Force’s Field Training Exercise," Brig. Richard Karemire, spokesman of Uganda People's Defense Forces, told Anadolu Agency.

The exercise of the East African Standby Force began on Monday that will continue till Dec. 3 in the Red Sea state of the Republic of Sudan, Karemire said.

The training focuses on boosting the capabilities of the forces with regard to peacekeeping in the region, conflict and terrorism management and combating human trafficking, among other transnational crimes.

The visit comes just days after Sudan President Omar al-Bashir visited Uganda. The relations between the two countries were at odds until 2015 over allegations that they support opposing forces in their respective countries against each other.

During the visit, the heads of the two countries discussed ways to improve bilateral trade, economic and security cooperation.

The Eastern Africa Standby Force is a regional organization whose mandate is to enhance peace and security in the Eastern Africa region.

The ten member states that make up the East Africa Standby Force include Burundi, Comoros, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

It is one of the five regional multidimensional forces of the African Standby Force (ASF) consisting of military, police and civilian components.