Ugandan army foils terror plot in Kampala, kills two suspects ahead of Martyrs Day celebrations
Authorities suspect that the attack was meant to interfere with proceedings ahead of the Martyrs Day event, which attracts thousands of pilgrims from Uganda and adjacent nations.
The Uganda People Defence Forces (UPDF) on Tuesday morning thwarted a planned terror attack in Munyonyo, Kampala by killing two suspected terrorists, just a day before the country marks its Martyrs Day celebrations.
Local authorities have yet to disclose the identities of the pair, the name or the terror group they are affiliated with or the structure they were targeting, but suspect that the attack was meant to interfere with proceedings ahead of the Martyrs Day event, which attracts thousands of pilgrims from Uganda and adjacent nations.
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According to Uganda's Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Colonel Chris Magezi, the UPDF swung into action following intelligence reports about a planned attack.
"A UPDF counter-terrorism unit this morning intercepted and neutralised two armed terrorists in Munyonyo, an upscale city suburb. It was an intelligence-led operation," Magezi said in a statement on X.
He added that security has been heightened in Munyonyo and key pilgrimage sites in Namugongo, the venue of the celebrations, while urging residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities.
"Security services are on heightened alert to ensure the Martyrs Day celebrations proceed without disruption. The general public is urged to remain calm but vigilant and report to the security services any suspicious individuals, objects or activities for immediate attention."
The Martyrs Day celebrations will be held at the Catholic Shrine of Namugongo in Kampala on June 3. The event pays homage to the 45 Christian converts who were executed on the orders of Buganda King Mwanga II, between 1885 and 1887, for refusing to denounce their faith.
A total of 1 million people from Uganda and adjacent areas are expected to grace the event, which typically involves pilgrims, clad in red attire, walking for hundreds of kilometres to the location where the executions were carried out.
Over the years, the event has boosted Uganda's tourism sector as visitors flood into the country, spending millions on transport, hospitality and trade.
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