Suspected ADF rebels kill woman, abduct man in Kasese village raid

Gunmen suspected to be members of a militant group killed a woman and reportedly abducted a man in a Tuesday night attack that also left a child severely injured in Kasese District, authorities have said.

“We received a report of a suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel attack in the areas of Ngoko Village (Kisinga Sub-county) where 47-year-old Betty Biira was killed and her 14-year-old nephew Harrison Masereka injured,” Rwenzori East Regional Police spokesperson SP Luka Mbusa told Daily Monitor.

Speaking from hospital on Thursday, Masereka told Monitor that he saw at least five armed people dressed in all-black during the 9pm attack on the family.

“At first, two people came knocking on the house. Once they forced their way in, I saw more three people. They asked for food but we didn’t have any in the house.

“So, my aunt offered to harvest some rice for them. They instead pounced on her and cut her with a panga. They then turned to me and asked for directions to the army detach but I said I didn’t know. So, they also cut me with the axe,” he added.

He suffered about three serious cuts on his head.

Ngoko Village chairperson Joseph Kato claims that Aston Agaba, who is estimated to be aged 50, was also abducted as locals James Thembo and Julius Byaruhanga narrowly escaped the suspected rebels.

 “Assailants had apprehended Byaruhanga and his brother Agaba. ADF rebels gave Byaruhanga options to either take him or throw himself in a river. Byaruhanga chose to throw himself into the river and the suspected rebels released him. Eventually, Byaruhanga found his way onto the riverbanks,” Kato explained.

Authorities say the deceased woman was found with multiple cuts on her body while security traces discovered that the criminals plundered maize and other food items from village plantations.

Asked to comment on the abduction, SP Mbusa said: “There are rumours within the community that one person has been abducted. We can’t confirm that now but it is one of those things we are investigating.”

Kitswamba Sub-county chairperson Yofesi Katenene noted that the incident occurred just a week after a security meeting between government and Ngoko Village residents in which locals were informed that Kibale National Park might be harboring dangerous elements.

“We suspect that these individuals entered from the park side adjacent to Karusandara Sub-county and reached Ngoko Village. The trail indicates that they re-entered the park through the areas of Ibuga and Bigando. The location where the woman was killed is only about one kilometer from Kibale National Park,” he observed.

The park in mention borders Kasese District in the southwest.