The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has provided assurances to the country and the tourism sector following an unfortunate incident in which suspected ADF rebels killed two tourists and their driver in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
UPDF spokesman Brig Gen Felix Kulaigye expressed the gravity of the situation and the measures being taken:
“It is indeed a sad day in our country following the gruesome killing of foreign tourists. Such hiccups happen, but our commitment remains unwavering – the culprits will be apprehended, in fact, we expect significant developments by the end of today. The heartland of the terrorists will feel the shock. We will release a formal statement after conducting the necessary investigations.” He said to journalists on Wednesday
Brig Gen Kulaigye elaborated on the incident, stating that it occurred at approximately 06:30 pm on Tuesday evening when terrorists from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) struck in the National Park along Katunguru-Katwe road, targeting a tourist vehicle and causing the tragic loss of the tourists and the driver of the Golira Rangers company vehicle.
He stated that in response to the attack, the UPDF has swiftly deployed both technical and physical assets to track and apprehend the criminals. Joint security forces, including the Uganda Police, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and Army officers, have been strategically mobilized to hunt down the suspects and bring them to justice.
Despite the incident, Brig Gen.Kulaigye emphasized that the country remains safe for tourists.
“We have deployed to ensure that these attackers are hunted down and killed. We want to assure the tourism industry that the country is secure and safe albeit this isolated incident.” he emphasised
He also noted that such terrorist activities are an attempt to divert the army’s attention from Operation Shujjaa against the ADF in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In a recent incident, terrorists targeted a truck and burned it down with two occupants. However, he says the UPDF is well-equipped to address terrorism both within the country and in neighboring DRC.
To counter the ADF, the UPDF has established a new unit called Sector 4 in the Mambasa area of DRC’s Ituri region, where the terrorists are believed to be hiding. The objective is to eliminate their presence and prevent further trouble.
Joint efforts with the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) and UPDF are underway, and continuous reviews among commanders are ongoing. The DRC has granted a mandate to further explore and stabilize the region.
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