Uganda: suicide attacks, a "new phenomenon" that worries

Vehicles destroyed and abandoned after explosions in Kampala, Uganda on November 16, 2021. AP - Nicholas Bamulanzeki

Text by: Alexandra Brangeon Follow

2 min

While the suicide attacks of Tuesday, November 16 were claimed by the Islamic State group, Ugandan police point the finger at the ADF, an active rebellion from neighboring DRC.

Already at the end of October, the government attributed two bomb attacks in Kampala to the ADF.

A number of its suspected members had been arrested.

For Ugandan researcher Frederick Golooba-Mutebi, these suicide attacks are a novelty. 

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It's shocking that in Uganda we now have a

It is not very common.

The last time was ten years ago, when the perpetrators blew themselves up among people watching the FIFA World Cup.

But people - as we could see from the surveillance tapes - carrying backpacks and blowing themselves up is relatively new.

Even before the attacks were claimed, Ugandan police blamed the ADF.

What do you think ?

In a statement, the police did indeed point the finger at the

.

Maybe it's true, but maybe it's not.

We do not know.

I don't remember that the ADF recently claimed responsibility for

.

But what is true is that each time there is an attack, the police blame the ADF.

In the absence of proof, I prefer to be careful.

The ADF are not the only ones able to organize this kind of attack.

It could be another organization.

What other organization are you thinking of?

The people who detonated bombs in Kampala ten years ago were from outside, from Somalia.

Uganda has troops in Somalia fighting against the Islamist group the Shebabs;

that could very well be a possibility.

Nowadays, we also hear about the Islamic State group, which is said to be allied with the ADF.

Whether it's the ADF, the Islamic State group, the two together, I don't know.

What I mean is that there is not just one possibility.

The ADF is one, the Shebabs are another.

What do you think of these attacks on Parliament and the police?

Are they not daring?

I think those behind these attacks want to show that they are capable of attacking important and well-guarded facilities, facilities linked to the security services or the state.

It's about showing that they are able to target whoever they want.

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• Uganda

• Terrorism