At least 41 people, mostly students, were killed in an attack on a school in western Uganda, with six others being abducted by armed rebels, according to Ugandan officials.
The assailants, believed to be members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are suspected to be behind the attack on Lhubirira secondary school late on Friday, June 16. The rebels reportedly hacked some victims to death with machetes and set fire to dormitories, resulting in fatalities.
The school, located near the Congo-Uganda border in Kasese, caters to students aged 13 to 18. Of the deceased, 39 were students and two were from the local community. The military spokesman, Felix Kulayigye, revealed that around 20 ADF rebels were involved in the assault. Military confirmed that no survivors were still trapped in the school on Sunday, June 18.
The United Nations strongly condemned the attack and emphasized the need for those responsible to face justice. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, urging the immediate release of the abducted people. The military in Uganda has deployed forces to protect the area and is pursuing the suspects in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The commander of the Ugandan military operation in DRC, Major Dick Olum, cautioned residents to be vigilant and report any unfamiliar people.
Footage from the scene showed sections of the school cordoned off. Government officials, including the First Lady and Minister of Education, have visited the school and assured the local residents of their support.
An eyewitness recounted the overcrowded local mortuary as victims continued to be treated. The attack shocked the community, as they had not previously encountered such violence. It was the first attack from ADF forces on a Ugandan school in 25 years. The ADF, operating along the Uganda-DRC border, is linked to ISIS, and has been in an armed conflict against the Ugandan government since the mid-1990s. The group has been sanctioned by the US and the UN for its terrorist activities, including targeting children.
