Uganda’s military announced on Wednesday that it had neutralized several militants associated with an Islamic State-linked group responsible for the murder of a newlywed couple and their guide in a national park last month.
On October 17, gunmen from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group carried out an ambush on David and Celia Barlow and their Ugandan guide, Eric Ayai, in Queen Elizabeth National Park, situated near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Celia Barlow was South African and her new husband was British.
“ADF terrorists whom we have been tracking down since the attack on tourists were finally got and a number of them were killed last night on Lake Edward,” Ugandan military deputy spokesman Deo Akiiki said.
“The operation is still on to finish all the splinter groups of ADF,” he added, without going into details on the numbers killed.
The ADF originally emerged as an opposition movement against the Ugandan government during the early 1990s. Following military defeats, the group relocated to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it became entangled in illicit activities such as timber, gold, and agricultural product smuggling.
It pledged allegiance to Islamic State four years ago.
One day following the ambush, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel.
