Ugandan law enforcement agencies successfully intercepted a sinister plan by militants affiliated with the Islamic State to detonate explosives within churches in the central Butambala district, as announced by President Yoweri Museveni.
According to President Museveni, two potentially deadly bombs were discovered, cleverly concealed as gifts and addressed to pastors within the region. Fortunately, vigilant members of the public grew suspicious of the devices and promptly reported them to the authorities.
The president has squarely placed the responsibility for this ominous plot on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant organization with ties to the Islamic State. As of now, the ADF has not issued a statement regarding their involvement in the foiled bombing attempt.
The ADF, which originated in the 1990s, initially rose against President Museveni’s government, alleging discrimination and mistreatment of Muslims. Following a series of heavy setbacks at the hands of the Ugandan military in 2001, the ADF relocated to North Kivu province in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
The group declared its allegiance to the Islamic State in 2016 and has since been linked to numerous lethal attacks in Uganda. Notably, they were responsible for the tragic killing of over 40 people, mainly students, in a boarding school in June.
President Museveni has revealed that the militants intended to detonate two explosive devices within churches located in Kibibi, a region approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Fortunately, these devices were reported to the police and subsequently defused, averting a potential disaster.
“The evil plan was foiled,” President Museveni declared while urging the public to exercise caution when receiving gifts from strangers.
In a related development, Ugandan forces, in an effort to combat the ADF, executed air strikes against four ADF positions in DR Congo. President Museveni stated that a significant number of terrorists were likely eliminated in these strikes, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by the ADF.
He also issued a warning that the ADF may be attempting to re-enter Uganda, potentially engaging in sporadic acts of terrorism.
This latest incident follows a similar one in September, where Ugandan police thwarted a bomb attack within one of Kampala’s largest churches. An individual suspected of attempting to detonate a bomb among churchgoers was subsequently arrested, adding to the ongoing concerns regarding security and terrorism in the region.
Source: BBC