Deadly attack by ISIS allies at Ugandan school claims at least 41 lives, including students

In a horrific incident near the Congo border, ISIS allies reportedly attacked a secondary school in Uganda, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least41 people, including 38 students. The victims were burnt, shot, or brutally hacked to death. The assailants, reportedlyrebels, fled across the porous border into Congo after the assault on Friday night. The Ugandan military reported that at least six people were abducted during the attack.

Chaos, devastation near Congo border as rebels target school

According to the Mayor of Mpondwe-Lhubiriha, Selevest Mapoze, the victims included students, a guard, and two members of the local community who were fatally attacked outside the school. The rebels set fire to a dormitory, causing some students to suffer fatal burns, while others were shot or brutally hacked with machetes.

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The raid, carried out by approximately five attackers around 11:30 p.m., left the school engulfed in flames. Responding to the scene, soldiers from a nearby brigade discovered the horrifying sight of the school compound filled with the lifeless bodies of students. Military spokesman Brig. Felix Kulayigye confirmed the recovery of 47 bodies, with eight other individuals injured and receiving treatment at a local hospital. Ugandan troops are currently in pursuit of the perpetrators and working to rescue the abducted students, who were forced to carry looted food toward Congo's Virunga National Park.

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The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group known for launching attacks from its bases in eastern Congo, is suspected to be responsible for the raid on Lhubiriha Secondary School. The privately-owned co-ed school is located in the border town of Mpondwe, within Uganda's Kasese district, just 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from the Congo border.

Rescue efforts underway as rebels flee across the border

Authorities have condemned the cowardly attack, with political leader Winnie Kiiza emphasizing that schools should always be a safe haven for students, and any attack on them is an unacceptable violation of children's rights. The ADF has been accused of numerous attacks in recent years, particularly targeting civilians in remote parts of eastern Congo. The group has historically opposed the rule of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and it originated in the early 1990s when Ugandan Muslims felt marginalised by Museveni's policies.

The ADF's activities forced them to retreat into eastern Congo, where rebel groups find refuge due to the limited control of the central government. Over time, the ADF has established connections with the Islamic State group. In response to the ongoing threat, Ugandan authorities have launched military operations, including joint air and artillery strikes in Congo, as part of their commitment to combat the ADF militants and ensure the safety and security of their people.

(With inputs from agencies)

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