Uganda has charged 15 people, including a pregnant woman, with terrorism over their alleged role in recent attacks blamed on a rebel group.
The country was hit by a series of bombings in October and November that killed five people and injured dozens. Authorities say a domestic terror group with ties to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) was responsible for the attacks.
According to Kampala’s Metropolitan Police deputy spokesman, Luke Owoyesigyire, Fifteen people appeared before court yesterday on charges of terrorism, aiding, abetting terrorism and belonging to a terrorist group. He said all 15 suspects were involved in the four bombings and will remain in custody until January 13 when they will appear in court again.
Following the attacks, Kampala deployed forces and launched air and artillery strikes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against the ADF, after Kinshasa gave Kampala approval to pursue the militants on its soil.
Since April 2019, some ADF attacks in eastern DR Congo have been claimed by IS, which describes the group as its Islamic State Central Africa Province offshoot.
In March, the United States placed the ADF on its list of “terrorist” organisations linked to IS.
Uganda has also blamed the group for a foiled bomb attack in August on the funeral of an army commander who led a major offensive against Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia.