In the early hours of Saturday, Ugandan police confirmed that a suspected rebel attack on a school near the Congo border has claimed the lives of at least 25 people. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is believed to be responsible for the assault, which took place on Friday night at the Lhubiriha Secondary School in the Ugandan district of Kasese.
The private school is located just 2 kilometers from the Congo border and was targeted by the ADF, who burnt down one of the dormitories and looted a food store. The police statement confirmed that the remains of 25 people had been recovered and transported to Bwera Hospital. Eight others were in critical condition and it was unclear whether all of the victims were students.
The attackers were tracked down by Ugandan troops to Congo’s Virunga National Park, but it is still unclear whether they have been apprehended. Joe Walusimbi, an official representing Uganda’s president in Kasese, said that the authorities are still trying to verify the number of victims and those who were abducted. He added that some of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition.
The ADF has been accused of launching several attacks on civilians in recent years, particularly on civilian communities in remote parts of eastern Congo. The group has long been opposed to the rule of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, a US security ally who has been in power since 1986.
The ADF was established in the early 1990s in Uganda but was later forced to flee into eastern Congo, where many rebel groups have been able to operate due to the country’s limited control over the area. The group also has ties with the Islamic State group.
This is not the first time the ADF has been linked to attacks in the region. In March of this year, at least 19 people were killed in Congo by suspected ADF extremists. Ugandan authorities have for years vowed to track down ADF militants “at home and abroad” and, in 2021, launched joint air and artillery strikes in Congo against the group.
The attack on Lhubiriha Secondary School has been condemned by Winnie Kiiza, an influential political leader and former lawmaker from the region. Kiiza took to Twitter to describe the attack as “cowardly” and emphasized that schools should always be a safe space for every student. She also spoke out against attacks on schools, emphasizing that they are a grave violation of children’s rights.
This attack is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by those living in areas plagued by conflict and violence. It is essential that the Ugandan government takes swift and decisive action to bring those responsible for this heinous attack to justice and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this heartbreaking tragedy.
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