ZOMBO – Authorities say at least three Uganda People’s Defense Forces soldiers been killed by unknown attackers on Friday morning in Zombo district.
Zombo district Chairperson, John Orwiny in a telephone interview with our reporter said three soldiers were killed and also four suspected attackers got killed by the UPDF soldiers in a retaliation battle.
“A group of people came at night stormed the army barracks, killed and chopped three soldiers with pangas and some soldiers were badly and were taken to Goli Health Center IV and Nyapeya hospital,” Orwiny said.
The attacked according to the district boss, occurred at around 2 am on Friday, March 6, 2020.
According to the Chairman, during the attack, the army also retaliated and shot dead four suspected attackers.
On Friday morning gunshots were still being heard around Zombo town council as being fired by combined forces of Uganda Police and army in pursuit of the alleged attackers. Army and police stormed a place called Magic Springs where it’s suspected that the alleged attacked converge.
Orwiny noted that some suspected attackers were this morning cited heading towards the direction of Congo-Uganda border South West of the Zombo town council and they are suspected to be hiding around the hill.
Orwiny said eyewitnesses claim that over 300 people armed with pangas, bow and arrows and clubs stormed the army detach at wee hours of Friday when soldiers were probably asleep.
He noted that reinforcement of army was ferried to Zombo from Arua and have gone to pursue the attacker from their hideouts.
Although Orwiny stated that it’s yet unclear where the attackers came from but one of the four attackers killed was found with National Identity Card belong to a place in Paidha town council.
When contacted the Public Relations officer of 4th Division Major Caeser Olweny he confirmed the incident.
“Our detach here in Zombo was attacked and we are pursuing them. We are in the bushes and have arrested some suspects and we believe to arrest more to give us good information,” Major Olweny said.
Asked on the number of people killed, Major Olweny said they are still pursuing and investigating the incident.
