Police blames bomb attacks on Allied Democratic Forces

KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Uganda Police Force has attributed today’s twin bombings in Kampala to the Allied Democratic Forces-ADF, a rebel force that has its base in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Just hours after the bombings that have so far claimed the lives of six people including three suicide bombers, police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the evidence they have so far gathered points to domestic terrorism with forces closely linked to ADF.

Speaking to journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru, Enanga said one suicide bomber died in the CPS explosion while two others who had disguised as boda-boda riders died in the Parliamentary Avenue explosion.

In total, 33 people have been wounded in the attacks with five in very critical condition according to police. Enanga explained that there was also a fourth suicide bomber who was part of the group but police managed to apprehend him and recovered a suicide vest.

“Although three suicide bombers died in the two bomb attacks, our Counter Terrorism response teams managed to pursue a fourth suicide bomb attacker and arrested him at Bwaise. They shot and injured him, and immediately after recovered an unexploded improvised explosive device at his home in Nansana-Katooke. We are now pursuing other members of the terror groups,” Enanga said.

Today’s bombings come less than a month after two other bombs exploded in Komamboga, and along Masaka road in a Swift Bus and killed two people. Even when police attributed those attacks to ADF, the rebel group is yet to come out with a report on what exactly happened.

The Islamic State, a global terror organization had also claimed responsibility for the bombings although police still maintained that what happened was a work of domestic terror groups with links to ADF.

Security in Kampala remains very tight with counter terrorism police still combing the two explosion sites for any evidence. Enanga called upon the people of Kampala whose businesses have been closed to bear with the security forces as it carries on with its duties.

“We have managed to forestall over 150 terror attacks and Kampala remains one of the safest cities in this region. But we call upon our people to remain vigilant because the terror threat is still active,” Enanga said.