The Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JATT) has arrested 25 suspected terrorists linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the last ten days.
JATT acting on intelligence provided by the Directorate of Crime Intelligence (DCI) and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) has raided various areas in Kyankwanzi, Wakiso, and Kiboga where the suspects have been picked.
URN understands that the majority of the suspects have been picked from Kyankwanzi district. However, the suspects come from different parts of the country, particularly Wakiso, Kampala, and Kyankwanzi districts.
JATT in its report shared with Naguru police headquarters indicates that the ADF terrorists sneaked back into the country after Uganda People’s Defence Air Force (UPDAF) bombed their various hideouts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“We are continuously monitoring all spaces, in villages, urban centers, and towns, where ADF elements and remnants are trying to hide within the community. In Kyankwanzi alone, we picked 22 suspected terrorists,” JATT indicates in the report.
Uganda launched a ground and air assault on ADF in November 2021 after bombs went off in Kampala leaving nine people dead including four suspected suicide bombers. The massive explosion was at Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) where 23 police officers were left injured and to date some walk-on clutches.
Some of the people killed in the 2021 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Kampala include George Katana, Ismael Basibe, and police officer Amos Kungu. Between June and October this year, ADF-linked groups have killed over 50 people in Uganda.
In June, Lhubiriha secondary school in Kasese District was attacked leaving 39 students and five civilians dead. The school was located at Mpondwe town which is near the Uganda-DRC border.
Last week, foreign tourists, David Barlow and Celia Geyer were killed by ADF linked group alongside their Ugandan guide Eric Aryayi. The trio met death inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Barlow and Geyer had just tied the knot and were on their honeymoon in Uganda when their lives tragically ended in the hands of criminals.
President Yoweri Museveni has since said that Ugandan forces have paid a serious attack on the ADF terrorists’ camps in DRC. “Our gunships attacked a big camp of these criminals, 60kms from the border, Ntoroko side. The attack was devastating because it was a clear target and the reconnaissance plane, was monitoring from the air” Museveni said last Saturday.
Museveni added that the group of five who burnt the lorry, and the tourist van and killed two foreign tourists with their driver, is being hunted in the area to the left of Bweera- Kikoroongo Road as you come from Bweera.
“The UPDF should involve the Police and the Wanainchi to hunt for these groups, running from Congo. They are no longer a military problem. They are; Police, popular vigilance, and anti-terrorism efforts. We are destroying their base in Congo. We salute H.E Tshisekedi for agreeing to work with us to uproot these criminals,” Museveni added.
Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson while confirming the JATT operations where 25 ADF-linked terror suspects have been arrested said every Ugandan needs to be very vigilant since they are a huge threat to security.
“Without them surrendering, or applying for amnesty, they still pose serious threats of safety and security against Ugandans and visitors in the country,” Enanga said.