Summary:
- Residents flee Kitehurizi Village in Kamwenge District after an Islamist terror attack by suspected ADF militants, leaving 10 dead; heightened security measures and military presence implemented.
Following the terrorist attack by Islamist extremists on Kitehurizi Village in Kamwenge District during the early hours of Tuesday, a significant number of residents in both the affected village and its neighboring areas have hastily deserted the region.
In the wake of the assault, which resulted in the brutal murder of 10 individuals by suspected militants belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a sense of widespread panic and fear has enveloped Kitehurizi. Fleeing locals express their reluctance to remain, particularly in the absence of what they perceive as an adequate deployment of security forces to counter the ongoing threat.
The prevailing atmosphere of alarm within the community resurrects haunting memories from the late 1990s and early 2000s when ADF terrorist activities reached their zenith in the Rwenzori sub-region, rendering entire villages nearly uninhabitable.
Estimates suggest that more than 500 individuals from the villages of Omukamwenda, Kyabandara, Fasha, and Nyabutusi, located near Kitehurizi, swiftly evacuated the area starting Tuesday morning through the following day. Some briefly returned yesterday to attend to urgent matters but affirmed their decision not to spend the night in Kitehurizi. The village, situated near the expansive and densely forested Kibaale National Park, primarily accommodates cultivators. In the aftermath of the attack, farmers have abandoned their fields, especially those who typically spent their days safeguarding against elephant invasions and other wildlife threats.
Enock Tukamushaba, the village chairman, disclosed that the entire village was devoid of human life on Tuesday night. Terrified residents sought refuge elsewhere, with some families opting to rent rooms in the comparatively safer Kamwenge Town.
Tukamushaba expressed uncertainty about the persistence of the situation, noting that people might continue avoiding the village, only returning during daylight hours to tend to their gardens.
While a few individuals briefly returned for the burial of parish councillor Night Margarete Banyazaki, who lost her life in the Tuesday assault, the Kitehurizi Trading Centre witnessed closed small shops and residential houses, with an air of apprehension lingering.
Despite the challenges facing locals, Kamwenge Resident District Commissioner Isiah Byarugaba Kanyamahane acknowledged efforts to encourage their return. He emphasized the importance of local security watches, warning that the absence of residents could create opportunities for terrorists or criminals to engage in property theft.
To enhance security and address the ADF threat, increased military presence and collaboration between residents and the army are part of ongoing measures. Neighbourhood patrols, supported by the military, have been formed to monitor the surroundings, and soldiers are conducting sweeps of the national park in search of the assailants.
As part of heightened security measures for Christmas, churches have been advised to conduct thorough checks on individuals entering places of worship. Additionally, the bodies of seven out of the 10 victims have been released to their families for burial, while the others remain at Rukunyu Hospital, awaiting their relatives. The list of those killed includes Easter Kirihura, Mary Kyomuhangi, Princess Ahumuza, Rossete Kugonza, Night Margarete Banyazaki, Tugume, Arindwaruhanga Glorious, Bagirana, Paddy, and Musalamu.
