Uganda: 2 blasts near police station & parliament building injure 24 in Kampala

At least two loud explosions in Uganda’s capital, Kampala injured 24 on early Tuesday, 16 November sparking chaos and confusion as people tried to flee in what is widely believed to be coordinated attacks, reported AP. While one blast was near a police station, another one was on a street near the parliamentary building. According to the witnesses, the explosion that took place near the parliament appeared to hit the building that houses an insurance company and the subsequent fire engulfed cars parked outside.

As per Ugandan broadcaster UBC, some of the lawmakers were seen evacuating the precincts of the parliamentary building nearby. At least 24 people have been hospitalised with wounds suffered in both explosions, stated Emmanuel Ainebyoona, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health, in a Twitter post. He also said that four of them are critically injured. Additionally, an eyewitness video posted online showed a plume of white smoke rising from the blast scene near the police station. 

It remains unclear if the explosions were bomb attacks and the police have yet to comment on the incident. Meanwhile, people are scampering to leave the Ugandan capital including several passengers on motorcycles. As per AP, Ugandan officials are calling for vigilance in the wake of a string of bomb explosions in recent weeks. 

One person killed in blast at a restaurant

Earlier on 23 October, one person was killed and seven others were injured in an explosion at a restaurant in a suburb of Kampala. Two days later, another explosion took place on a passenger bus and claimed the life of the suicide bomber only, according to the police. Even before the bomb attacks in the East African country, the UK government had updated its Uganda travel advisory to say extremists “are very likely to try to carry out attacks” in Uganda. 

The Allied Democratic Forces, an affiliate of the Islamic State group in central Africa reportedly claimed the responsibility for the attack on the eatery. It is pertinent to note that the group has long been opposed to the leadership of the longtime President Yoweri Museveni.

(IMAGE: AP/Representative)