A Ugandan soldier on Thrusday night shot and killed seven people, including the wives and children of his colleagues before he was shot and killed.

"One of our soldiers, Sergeant Isaac Obua has killed innocent people. The barracks have been cordoned off," he said, adding that the soldier had some domestic problems, which led to his separation from his wife, who is also in the army and stationed at the same barracks. She was not among those killed.

Uganda army spokesman, Paddy Ankunda said, "Sergeant Isaac Obua went bonkers and killed seven people. All of those he killed are women and children".

Ankunda said one child was critically injured and had been admitted to the military hospital.

Such killings have become common in Uganda, particularly by soldiers returning from peacekeeping mission in Somalia and many Ugandans. Last year, at least 20 civilians were killed by soldiers.

Another one was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing five people in Luzira on the outskirts of Kampala in November last year.

Social analysts have attributed the killings to soldiers not being given psychiatric services for post war trauma after returning from serving as peace keepers.

Uganda has over 5,000 troops in Somalia.

"The soldiers come back after getting used to killing, as they fight militants in Somalia. When they come back here, they should first be given mental stabilising services before letting them integrate with the public," Amon Ochieng, a social science lecturer at Busitema University, said.

Most of the soldiers, who have gone on civilian killing rampages, have served in Somalia.