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Mpondwe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | At least 25 bodies have been recovered after the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels stormed a school near the Uganda-DRC border, Police reported on Saturday.
“Last night, we registered a terrorist attack by the ADF rebels, on Lhubirira secondary school, in Mpondwe, that is located about 2 kms, from the DRC border,” police said in a statement.
Police reported a dormitory was burnt and a food store looted.
“So far, 25 bodies have been recovered from the school and transferred to Bwera Hospital,” police said, adding eight people remain in critical condition at the hospital.
Police said a joint pursuit by the UPDF is ongoing, towards Virunga national park.
WATCH: "We have got information that the rebels spent two nights here before they raided the school. We have sent for choppers to be deployed in our search and rescue operation for the students who were abducted"- Maj Gen Dick Olum, the UPDF commander of mountain division and… pic.twitter.com/P2szB98kQ3
— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) June 17, 2023
According to information from the school administration, the suspected rebels attacked the school at around 10:30 pm on Friday shortly after the students had returned from the evening preps.
Mary Musoki a teacher at the school said the gunmen who also carried other killer objects first stormed the school director’s home and demanded money from his wife who was alone at the time.
Shortly after, they stormed the male and female dormitories cutting their victims into pieces and shooting them. They later set a section of the school block on fire.
Tai Ramadhan, the Bwera division DPC says they are searching for other students who are still missing.
The attack on the school brings fresh memories of the 1998 attack on Kichwamba Technical Institute in Kabarole District by ADF rebels. The rebels killed 80 students and abducted several.
On Monday, more than 100 Congolese nationals entered Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council following suspected ADF attacks on local communities. Eight people are reported to have been killed during the attack.
