Ugandan Military Foils Armed Attacks in Western Region

KAMPALA, Xinhua: Ugandan forces on Saturday thwarted a series of coordinated attacks by unidentified armed groups targeting military and police installations in the western part of the country, said the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF).

In a statement issued in the Ugandan capital of Kampala late Saturday, UPDF spokesperson Felix Kulayigye said the attackers, armed with submachine guns and machetes, launched assaults on the Lugendabara police posts in the western border district of Kasese, military positions in Malindi and Kakuka in Bundibugyo district, and Canon Apollo School in Fort Portal, Kabarole district.

Kulayigye said the assailants attempted to destabilize security installations and provoke unrest in the region.

“Our forces, in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force, responded swiftly and decisively to neutralize the threat,” Kulayigye said.

He added that several attackers were subdued and that operations are ongoing to apprehend those who fled. “Unfortunately, the attackers killed one civilian woman in Malindi, and one soldier was killed in action,” the spokesperson said, adding that investigations are underway to determine the origin, motive, and affiliations of the assailants.

Local media reported that about 20 suspected machete-wielding attackers were killed in the three districts on Saturday morning.

The military condemned any attempt to destabilize the country’s peace and assured Ugandans that the situation is under control. “Additional security measures have been deployed to reinforce stability and prevent further incidents. We urge the public to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with security agencies,” Kulayigye said.