The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for two separate suicide attacks that killed three people and injured 36 in Kampala, on Tuesday.
The ISIS-affiliated Amaq News Agency reported the incident on its Telegram channel on Tuesday, saying three fighters set out with bags loaded with explosives. Two headed toward the Kampala Central Police Station, and the third to the parliament building, where they detonated, it reported.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga yesterday also said the attacks bore the hallmarks of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist rebel group affiliated with ISIS.
The IS claimed they attacked Uganda because of its involvement in fighting it.
‘Uganda is one of the nations participating in the war against IS in central Africa’ the IS statement read.
The IS also took responsibility of the two attacks that happened at an eatery and also in a bus last month killing 2 Ugandans and injuring several others.
The bombs went off at 10:03 and 10:06 near parliament and at central police station killing 3 civilians and injuring 36 others. The 3 suicide bombers also died during the attacks.
Two suicide bombers on motorbikes – disguised as local “boda boda” motorcycle riders – detonated a device near the entrance to parliament, killing a passer-by.
A third attacker targeted a checkpoint near the central police station, killing two people.
The 3rd attacker was killed in a police raid in Nansana a Kampala suburb and more improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from his residence.
The police also foiled 2 separate attacks and detonated the bombs set to go off at Kooki towers.
The Uganda police earlier held responsible the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group active in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo blamed for a string of recent attacks in Uganda.
The IS in April of 2019 claimed some of the ADF’s attacks stating that terror group is its regional branch in the central African province. The United States in March 2021 finally linked the ADF to IS.
Uganda security forces have foiled various other attacks orchestrated by the ADF including an attack at the burial of deputy IGP Paul Lokech who led many major strikes against Al Shabab while in Somalia.
The ADF’s attachment to the Islamic State is proof that Uganda’s security forces are on the right track to apprehend these home-grown terrorists that seek to cause confusion and fear among Ugandans.
Ugandans especially the youth are advised to stay away from radicalized groups and engage in productive activities that will push them out of poverty, idleness and keep them occupied.
Ugandans are further urged to stay vigilant, police one another and report any suspected cases of people acting out of character and abandoned objects to the nearest police stations.
