Militants linked to ISIS kill 25 in Ugandan school attack

WEB DESK: In a horrifying act of violence, militants linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) have killed 25 individuals in an attack on a school in western Uganda, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to Ugandan police reports on Saturday.

The assailants, identified as members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan group based in eastern Congo that has pledged allegiance to ISIS, targeted Lhubirira secondary school in Mpondwe. The attack involved the burning of a dormitory and looting of food supplies late on Friday.

Ugandan police have confirmed the recovery of 25 bodies from the school premises, which have been transferred to Bwera Hospital. Additionally, eight victims have been found in a critical condition and are currently receiving treatment at the same hospital. The police have not disclosed how many of the deceased were pupils.

Following the attack, the militants reportedly fled towards Virunga National Park in the DRC. Ugandan soldiers are in pursuit of the attackers. This incident follows a similar attack by the ADF on a village in eastern DRC in April, which resulted in at least 20 fatalities.

The ADF, originally insurgents in Uganda, gained a foothold in eastern DRC in the 1990s and have since been accused of killing thousands of civilians. Some of their attacks in eastern DRC have been claimed by ISIS since 2019.

In response to the escalating violence, Uganda has dispatched troops into Congo to assist in combating the ADF. The Ugandan Police and the Uganda People’s Defense Force are currently in “hot pursuit” of the suspects involved in the recent school attack.

The international community has expressed deep concern over the rising insurgency in the region, urging for a comprehensive strategy to counter the growing threat posed by ISIS-linked groups in Africa.