Uganda mourns as families bury victims and search for the missing after the deadliest attack in a decade
In a devastating incident that has rocked Uganda to its core, grieving families are preparing to lay their loved ones to rest in western Uganda, while others frantically search for their missing relatives following a ruthless assault by militants on a school. According to officials, this attack marks the worst of its kind in Uganda since 2010, with at least 41 people, mostly pupils, falling victim to the violence.
The heart-wrenching attack took place at Lhubiriha secondary school in Mpondwe, located near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the late hours of the night, the assailants, believed to be the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia based in the DRC, unleashed a brutal onslaught on the school, resulting in the hacking, shooting, and burning of innocent victims.
The extent of this tragedy has sparked worldwide condemnation and solidarity. Pope Francis offered a prayer for the young student victims, expressing his deep sorrow for the brutality that has shattered the nation. Ugandan authorities are resolute in their pursuit of the attackers, who fled towards the border, taking six individuals as abductees.
Amidst the chaos, fifteen community members, including five girls, remain missing, further exacerbating the anguish felt by their families. Eriphaz Muhindi, the chair of Kasese district, which shares a long and forested border with the DRC, confirmed that efforts are ongoing to locate them. Furthermore, seventeen victims were burned beyond recognition when the attackers set fire to a locked dormitory, making it incredibly challenging to identify the deceased and account for the missing.
To address this heart-rending situation, the remains of the victims have been sent for DNA testing, adding an additional layer of pain for the families affected. The grieving families anxiously waited outside a mortuary in Bwera, near the site of the attack, desperately seeking information about their loved ones. As the bodies were finally identified and brought out, mourners embraced and wept, escorting the coffins for burial. Yet, numerous others remained in a state of anxious uncertainty, awaiting news of their missing relatives.
In response to this tragedy, the Ugandan government has pledged its support by assisting with funeral arrangements and providing aid to the injured. Janet Museveni, Uganda’s first lady and education minister, sadly confirmed that thirty-seven pupils lost their lives in the attack. Tragically, the dormitory housing seventeen male students was entirely destroyed by the fire, while twenty female students were mercilessly hacked to death as they attempted to flee.
The global community has expressed its condolences and condemned the heinous act. The African Union, France, and the United States, a close ally of Uganda, have stood in solidarity with the nation, offering their support. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for justice, stating, “Those responsible for this appalling act must be brought to justice.”
Questions have arisen concerning the ability of the attackers to evade detection in a region with a significant military presence. Maj Gen Dick Olum, in an interview with AFP, revealed that intelligence had suggested the presence of the ADF in the area at least two days before the attack. An investigation will be launched to determine the breakdown that led to this tragedy.
It is worth noting that efforts between Uganda and the DRC to oust the ADF from its Congolese strongholds have been underway since 2021, but unfortunately, the group’s violence has persisted. Originating as insurgents in Uganda, the ADF established a foothold in eastern DRC during
