The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have taken a significant step in their pursuit of justice for the tragic killing of two foreign tourists and their guide last month.
In an operation targeting suspected ADF rebels, UPDF forces succeeded in killing 11 of these individuals, who are believed to be responsible for the heinous crime.
The victims, including David Barlow from the UK, Celia Geyer from South Africa, and their tour guide Eric Aryayi, were brutally murdered within Queen Elizabeth National Park by suspected ADF rebels, sparking a determined manhunt.
The operation, led by the UPDF Marine, Special Forces Command (SFC), and Mountain Brigade, was strategically executed along Lake Edward at Kayanja Landing Site. The pursuit of the suspects culminated in a confrontation at approximately 7 pm, resulting in heavy gunfire that led to the death of 11 individuals.
UPDF Deputy Spokesperson Col Deo Akiiki confirmed the operation’s success, attributing it to precise intelligence and a well-coordinated approach. Col Saula and Col Jet, commanding the UPDF Marine and Mountain Brigade, played pivotal roles in the operation.
These individuals were part of the group implicated in the tourists’ murder, and the mission to neutralize all splinter groups affiliated with the ADF is ongoing.
The ADF-linked violence in the Kasese region has claimed at least 50 lives between June and October, with a significant number of casualties being students at Lhubiriha secondary school near the Uganda-DRC border. President Yoweri Museveni has previously stated that airstrikes targeted ADF camps in the DRC, leading to their dispersal across different parts of the country.