In a chilling incident in south-west Uganda, a British tourist was among the three victims of a heinous act of terrorism in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, as confirmed by the Ugandan authorities. The police enunciated that the victims’ vehicle was set ablaze in the brazen assault.
Several Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group members are being actively pursued by the joint forces since the attack on Tuesday night. The ADF is an Islamist group, tied to IS. Although originating from Uganda, they chiefly operate in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The pursuit against this group has been markedly amplified in both nations recently.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority disclosed the victims as two tourists and a devoted local guide. The ill-fated tourists had journeyed from the UK and South Africa, their guide being a native Ugandan.
Fred Enanga, the spokesperson for the police, expressed the incident via X (previously known as Twitter): “We have registered a cowardly terrorist attack on two foreign tourists and a Ugandan in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The three were killed, and their safari vehicle burnt.” He added the police are actively and forcefully pursuing the alleged rebels with relentless determination, offering the deepest condolences to the bereaved families. A startling image of a blazing green four-wheel drive was also shared by the police force.
Bashir Hangi, spokesperson for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, confirmed the assault had occurred on Tuesday evening, as the tourists were exploring the beauty of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Despite the appalling event, the Uganda Wildlife Authority declared an adamant stance of keeping all parks open, courteously asking the public to patiently allow the investigative proceedings to take its due course.
The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advisory post this incident, cautioning that the “attackers remain at large”. It implored everyone currently in the area to exercise vigilance and heed the advice of local security authorities or their respective tour operators. Furthermore, the Ugandan authorities have advised anyone in Queen Elizabeth National Park to stay at their current locations overnight.
