The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) are actively pursuing the individuals responsible for the attack on tourists that resulted in two deaths at Queen Elizabeth National Park on October 17, 2023. In addition to the fatalities, the assailants also killed the driver of the tourists’ vehicle and set it on fire along the Katunguru-Mweya-Katwe road in the Kasese district, which is near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 360 kilometers from Kampala city, the capital of Uganda.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, Uganda army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye affirmed the commitment of UPDF forces to apprehend those responsible for the attack. It is suspected that the attackers in this particular incident are connected to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group operating in eastern DR Congo. According to Kulayigye, the ADF has increased retaliatory attacks following significant strikes on their operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo by the Ugandan Air component. He further stated that efforts to pressure and protect Ugandan citizens from terrorist acts would be intensified.
Kulayigye urged the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security forces, particularly in regions along the Uganda-DR Congo border. Uganda Wildlife Authority spokesperson Bashir Hangi disclosed that the victims’ identities, including a Ugandan, a UK citizen, and a South African, are currently being withheld. Importantly, it is crucial to note that the rest of the country remains peaceful, and various activities, including tourism, continue without disruption.
