Latest news with #AbasByakagaba
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Two suspected Ugandan rebels killed in Kampala explosion
Two suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, including a female suicide bomber, were killed in an explosion near a prominent Catholic shrine in Uganda's capital, Kampala, as crowds gathered to mark Martyrs' Day. The blast on Tuesday took place in the upscale suburb of Munyonyo, outside the Munyonyo Martyrs' Shrine, where Ugandans were assembling to commemorate 19th-century Christians executed for their faith. No civilian injuries were reported. 'A counterterrorism unit this morning intercepted and neutralised two armed terrorists in Munyonyo,' said army spokesman Chris Magezi on X. He confirmed one of the assailants was a female suicide bomber 'laden with powerful explosives'. Footage broadcast by NBS Television, an independent outlet, showed a destroyed motorbike and debris scattered across the road. Police Chief Abas Byakagaba told NBS the explosion occurred while 'two people were on a motorcycle,' adding: 'The good thing, though, is that there were no people nearby who were injured.' There has been no immediate claim of responsibility. While Ugandan authorities are still piecing together the events, Magezi suggested the suspects were linked to the ADF, a rebel group that originated in Uganda in the 1990s but later relocated to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ADF has pledged allegiance to ISIL (ISIS) and was behind a spate of deadly bombings in Uganda in 2021. The group has been accused by the United Nations of widespread atrocities, including the killing of thousands of civilians in the region. Martyrs' Day is one of Uganda's most significant religious holidays, drawing thousands of pilgrims annually. Security forces have increased patrols across the capital in the aftermath of the incident.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Suspected bomb kills two near shrine in Uganda's capital, local media report
KAMPALA - A suspected bomb blast killed two people near a Roman Catholic shrine in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Tuesday morning, local media reported, while the army said two armed people had been "neutralized" as people gathered for a public holiday. The Daily Monitor and New Vision newspapers reported that the explosion near the Munyonyo Martyrs' Shrine in the south of the city had killed at least two people as Ugandans assembled to celebrate Martyrs' Day, which commemorates Christians who were killed for their faith in the 19th century. NBS, an independent broadcaster, showed video of what appeared to be a motorbike and body on a road surrounded by debris. A Ugandan army spokesman wrote on X that a "counter-terrorism unit this morning intercepted and neutralized two armed terrorists in Munyonyo, an upscale city suburb." NTV Uganda said that public access to the area around the shrine had been restricted after the explosion. "The security services are on heightened alert to ensure the Martyrs Day celebrations proceed without disruption," the army spokesman said. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion. "Two people were on a motorcycle and an explosion occurred," Ugandan police chief Abas Byakagaba told NBS in a video posted on X. Byakagaba did not say what happened to the two people on the motorbike but added: "The good thing though is that there were no people nearby who were injured." Islamic State (IS), which is allied with anti-Uganda rebel group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), said it carried out the last bombings in Kampala, which killed seven people in 2021. The ADF was founded by Ugandan Muslims in the 1990s and initially waged war against the Ugandan government from bases in the country's west before fleeing into eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where they are blamed by the United Nations for thousands of civilian deaths. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
