UPDATE: Death toll from Uganda school terror attack rises to 41
GOOBJOOG NEWS | KAMPALA: The death toll in the Uganda school terror attack has risen to 41, local media reports.
The latest number announced by private owned NTV Uganda television and state-run New Vision newspaper respectively almost doubles the number initially announced by police, which had put the number at 25.
Uganda’s People Defence Forces spokesperson, Brig Felix Kulayigye on Saturday said that “Intelligence revealed that this attack was by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, about five in number.”
The UPDF spokesman said 41 bodies (37 students, three community members and a school guard) were recovered following the raid that was carried out in Friday around 11:30 PM at Lhubiriha Secondary School in Nyabungo Parish, karambi Sub-County in Kassese District.
“UPDF embarked on pursuing the perpetrators to rescue the abducted students whom they used to carry the looted food towards Virunga National Park. UPDF remains committed to its mandate to protect the people of Uganda and their property,” Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye said.
The ADF, a Ugandan group based in eastern Congo that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, attacked Lhubirira secondary school in Mpondwe, burning a dormitory and looting food late on Friday, police said.
District Commissioner Joe Walusimbi who spoke to journalists said that a number of students were still unaccounted for.
A vast expanse on the border with Uganda and Rwanda, Virunga is the oldest nature reserve in Africa and is renowned worldwide as a sanctuary for rare species, including mountain gorillas.
Militias, of which dozens are active in eastern DR Congo, also use the park as a hideout.
Meanwhile Turkey has issued a statement condemning the attack saying it stands in solidarity with the people of Uganda.
“We condemn the terrorist attack targeting a school in Mpondwe, Uganda. Turkey, a country fighting resolutely against all forms and manifestations of terrorism stands in Solidarity with the government and people of Uganda”, a tweet by the Turkish embassy in Uganda reads.
By Fauxile Kibet