In a shocking and tragic incident, two tourists, one from the United Kingdom, another from South Africa, and their Ugandan guide lost their lives when assailants attacked their vehicle near Queen Elizabeth National Park in south-west Uganda. The incident has sent shockwaves through the nation and raised concerns about the security situation in the region.
The attack occurred just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda's most popular conservation areas, known for its diverse wildlife. The victims, whose identities are being withheld, were on a safari expedition with the local tour company, Gorilla and Wildlife Safaris.
Bashir Hangi, spokesperson for the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), expressed deep sorrow for the tragic incident and mentioned that security agencies were actively working to identify and bring the assailants to justice.
Fred Enanga, a police spokesperson, indicated that extremist rebels, believed to be based in the eastern part of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, were responsible for what he described as a "cowardly terrorist attack." He added that security forces had swiftly responded to the situation and were vigorously pursuing suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the shadowy rebel group thought to be behind the attack.
The ADF, a rebel group that originated in Uganda but now operates in the lawless regions of eastern DRC, has established ties with the Islamic State group. The ADF occasionally carries out cross-border attacks into Uganda. This horrific incident near Queen Elizabeth National Park follows a June attack in which the ADF was accused of massacring at least 41 people, mostly students, in a raid on a remote Ugandan community near the border.
The Allied Democratic Forces has a long history of opposing the rule of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has held power in Uganda since 1986. The group was established in the early 1990s by Ugandan Muslims who claimed they were marginalized by Museveni's policies. Over the years, the ADF has conducted deadly attacks in Ugandan villages and Kampala, including a 1998 attack in which 80 students were massacred in a border town.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in a remote area near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and such attacks in this region are relatively rare. The incident comes at a time when Ugandan troops are actively engaged in operations to track down and neutralize the ADF rebels in the eastern part of the DRC.
The Ugandan government, in cooperation with international partners, is committed to addressing the security challenges posed by rebel groups like the ADF and ensuring the safety of both its citizens and visitors to the country.
