TheCable

At least 25 people have died in an attack on a Lhubirira secondary school in Mpondwe, western Uganda.

The attack was reportedly carried out by the Allied Democratic Group (ADP), an armed group linked to the Islamic State.

The school is said to be located about two kilometers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ugandan police said the attack occurred on Friday night, leaving a dormitory burnt and a food store looted.

The police added that it is currently in “hot pursuit” of the militants who fled towards Virunga national park in Congo.

“So far, 25 bodies have been recovered from the school and transferred to Bwera hospital. Also recovered are 8 victims, who remain in critical condition at Bwera hospital,” the statement reads.

“We do offer our deepest condolences to the families of those who have been killed, and offer our prayers and thoughts to those who have been wounded. More details will be availed in due course.”

The police did not specify how many pupils were among the victims.

Originally insurgents in Uganda, the ADF found a foothold in eastern Congo in the 1990s and has since been accused of killing thousands of civilians.

The group is believed to have been responsible for killing 36 people in March during an overnight attack on the village of Mukondi, in the eastern Congo.

In 2021, Uganda launched joint air and artillery strikes with Congo against the ADF.