A military operation launched Thursday against youths who have allegedly been carrying out attacks in the Rwenzori sub-region spilled over into Kasese town during the weekend, leaving at least a dozen dead.
On Thursday, a combined force of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the police launched Operation Mountain Storm on a training camp belonging to armed Bakonzo youth calling themselves Esyomango sy’Obusinga (Lukonzo for the King’s Spears).
At least eight people were killed during the operation while four youths were arrested. The number of those arrested rose to 10 after six more youths were arrested on Saturday.
At the onset of the operation on Thursday, security agencies stormed a camp located in Kamabale ‘A’ village in Karangura Sub-county, Kabarole district. The camp is located at the top of Karangura hills and is seven kilometres away from Nyabuswa trading centre, where the youth have been terrorising residents by running patrols and forcefully collecting money and food items.
On Saturday morning, the UPDF surrounded the royal palace of Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu Kingdom officials said they received information that the army was searching for some royal guards at the palace and offices.
Clarence Bwambale, the Rwenzururu kingdom information minister said the four guards were killed in a fight with UPDF officers who wanted to gain access to the offices located on Rwenzori street in the centre of Kasese town. One UPDF soldier was injured after being stabbed by a guard.
The royal guards had resisted the army using machetes, bows and spears.
LINKS TO ARMED YOUTH
In a telephone interview, the Rwenzori East police spokesperson, Sowed Masud, said the army and police were investigating if the youths who had set up a training camp in Karangura have any links to the royal guards attached to Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu.
At the camp of the attackers on Thursday, the army recovered an identity card belonging to a royal guard identified only as Mbusa. The army also recovered a list of 300 trainees and their telephone contacts during the operation in Karangura, prompting them to carry out investigations at the palace.
Consequently, on Friday evening the army surrounded the royal palace of Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu but remained camped outside the palace while patrolling neighborhoods.
On Saturday morning, their operation was extended to the city centre, the location of the administrative offices. The army took siege of the offices located on Rwenzori street, while the main market in Kasese town commonly known as Kasindi was closed as more people deserted the town which was covered in gunfire.
All shops long Kasese’s Alexandria street and Kilembe road were deserted, while dozens of armed personnel were seen patrolling the town. By Saturday evening, some roads remained blocked in Kasese municipality as the UPDF maintained heavy presence in the town, although the situation had calmed down.
The army also carried out another operation in Buremba, some 15km outside Kasese town, where some of the guards are believed to be operating a camp.
Adapted from URN stories.