By Our Reporter
Security agencies have foiled what could have been a devastating terrorist attack at Kalerwe Market in Kawempe Division, after a female suicide bomber was shot and killed by Ugandan security forces early this morning.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) confirmed the incident, stating that the woman, believed to be affiliated with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), was neutralized before she could detonate an explosive device. The bomb squad has since been deployed to the scene and is currently conducting investigations.
Authorities believe the female assailant was part of a wider plot operating in urban areas. Preliminary intelligence points to the ADF, a rebel group that has increasingly been linked to regional terrorist activities.
Kalerwe Market, one of Kampala’s busiest trading hubs, has since been cordoned off as bomb disposal experts comb the area for any additional threats. Business in the area has been temporarily suspended as security teams secure the area.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as shoppers fled in panic upon hearing gunshots. “We heard a loud command to clear the area, and shortly after, security forces moved in. Everyone was running,” said one vendor.
While no casualties have been reported beyond the deceased suspect, the incident has reignited concerns about the presence of extremist elements in the capital and the ongoing threat posed by the ADF, which has been designated a terrorist organization by both Uganda and international partners.
Security has been heightened around key installations and crowded public spaces, and authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant.
This latest incident follows a series of ADF-linked plots and attacks in Uganda over the past two years, including the twin bombings in Kampala in 2021 and foiled attacks in 2024.
Investigations are ongoing, and security agencies have not ruled out the possibility of more suspects being at large.
