The joint security agencies investigating the recent Improvised Explosive Devices(IEDs) recovered in various parts of the city have widened the probe into these bombs.
Addressing journalists on Monday, police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said the probe has been widened to help to identify the source of the IEDs and the supplier of the materials used in their construction.
“The joint security teams investigating the terrorist threat are pursuing a number lines of inquiry to find out whether the IED recovered at Pastor Kayanja’s church is linked to the others recovered in Nateete, Bunamwaya and other areas in Kampala,” Enanga said.
In a 48-hour operation, security last week recovered six IEDS including one that was safely detonated Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral belonging to Pastor Robert Kayanja in Kampala where it was said a terrorist aimed at the congregation at the church.
Five more IEDs were later recovered from Peaceful Guesthouse in Bunamwaya, Mabiito in Nateete and in Lungujja as the country battles with a terrorist threat.
Speaking on Monday, the joint security spokesperson said the recovery of these crude but deadly weapons has forced security to widen their probe in a bid to nip any other planned attacks by the terrorists in the bud.
“The terror threat is still serious after the recovery of the six IEDs . The joint security team is trying to establish how the IEDs were prepared and later constructed. The team als seeks to get to know the ingredients of the IEDs and the people behind them,” Enanga said.
He said during the ongoing operation, seven people were arrested including a woman who was allegedly trying to hide the IED at Mabiito in Nateete.
The joint security spokesperson was however quick to note that of the seven, five have since been released.
The development comes at a time when a man who identified himself as an ADF collaborator handed himself over to security in Rubirizi district.
According to Enanga, William Byaruhanga, 30 who was previously a resident of Busunga town council in Bundibugyo district handed himself over to the 309 UPDF brigade in Rubirizi district.
“He was transferred to Makenke barracks for further management and to get information from him about the existing ADF threat in the country and we encourage other members of the ADF filtering in the country because of the pressure in DRC to report to security agencies,” Enanga said.
Security has of late said the pressure exerted on ADF is too much and many of their fighters are trying to hand themselves over.
A report by the Bridgeway Foundation, a US charity organization dedicated to ending and preventing mass atrocities around the world recently indicated that the ongoing operation Shuja by the UPDF and the Congolese army has had a big impact on the structure of the ADF.
“In the past two years since the Operation Shuja started, we have seen a drop in the number of fatalities by the ADF. We have seen a number of their fighters killed and many other defected. Between September 2022 to date, we have received and recorded 358 members of ADF who have left the group. Some of them left because they were angry with the group or disillusioned with the group’s false promises but many left because of the pressure of Operation Shuja. Bombs and bullets are raining on them and they know they would die if they don’t leave the group,” Bulama Bukarti, the Bridgeway Foundation Vice President of Programs said recently.
The official from Bridgeway Foundation said many leaders of ADF have been killed by the joint forces but noted that whereas this doesn’t necessarily wiped away the group, it impacts on its ability to continue to operate.
