Ugandan police discover 'radicalization center', kill 2, free 100 women and kids

Security officials in Uganda say, police have shot dead two men ,arrested dozens and released about 100 women and children when a “radicalization centre” was discovered in a mosque in Kampala on Saturday.

Police stumbled upon the centre on Friday as they pursued an individual suspected of kidnapping and murder this year, all the way to the Usafi Mosque in Kampala.

“Ugandan police force in a joint operation with sister security agencies conducted this operation at Usafi mosque in Kisenyi, Kampala, where 18 women and 94 children of various nationalities were all rescued unharmed. Two of the hostage takers were shot dead after violently and severely injuring one of the security officers”, said Ugandan police spokesman Emilian Kayima.

Some residents were horrified at the scene.

“The mission it wasn’t about to shoot, to kill, but then… who were inside the mosque they had guns, which these ones the security forces didn’t know about. So they started firing at each other. There were kids. What hurt me is that there were kids inside, young kids ”, an eyewitness Ashraf Mbazira said.

In February, the body of a woman from an influential Ugandan family, Susan Magara, was found three weeks after her abduction and a series of ransom demands.

The crime had shocked the country and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni entrusted leadership of the investigation to intelligence agencies.

Security forces believe that one of the main suspects, whom they were watching on Friday, realized he was being followed and took refuge in the mosque.

Police pursued the suspect in the mosque and they discovered weapons, women and children.

AFP