Army thwarts suspected ADF attack during Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations

Jun 12, 2025, Uganda – Two people, described by authorities as “armed terrorists” were killed in the capital, Kampala, on Jun 03 as people gathered to pray near the Roman Catholic Munyonyo Martyrs’ Shrine as part of Martyrs Day celebrations. A counter-terrorism unit “intercepted and neutralized” the two, one of whom was a female suicide bomber as they approached the church compound, according to army spokesperson, Col Chris Magezi. Witnesses reported hearing a large explosion but there were no other reported casualties.

Col Magezi told Reuters that it was believed the two people were linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is an affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group. The group has not commented yet. Last year, the army warned citizens that the ADF was planning to attack places of worship, public events, schools and urban areas

Jo Newhouse, Arise Africa Campaign spokesperson commented, “Each year, we witness Catholics, Anglicans, and Christians from across denominations gathering as one body to honour the 45 martyrs who chose death over denying Christ. Their witness continues to inspire believers across East Africa and beyond.”

“We give thanks to the Lord for His protection over the millions of pilgrims who gathered safely to commemorate these faithful witnesses, and we pray for continued peace and security for Uganda’s Christian community.”

Martyrs Day is one of the largest Christian pilgrimages in Africa. It draws millions of believers each year to honour 45 people, made up of 22 Catholics and 23 Anglicans, who were killed between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda for refusing to renounce their faith. The monarch demanded they revert to their traditional religion, but they refused and were later killed. (BBC)

The ADF is a coalition of Muslim forces that originated in Uganda under Idi Amin’s rule but is currently most active in the North Kivu province of neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite the DRC government announcing martial law in ADF controlled areas in May-2021, the group has remained resilient, killing at least 2300 mostly Christian civilians between Jan 2024 and today (ACLED), displacing hundreds of thousands (700,000 displaced in North Kivu as per UNOCHA) and destroying unknown numbers of properties. They became an ISIS affiliate in 2019 and were declared a foreign terrorist organization in 2021. In 2023, the group carried out a fatal attack on a Ugandan school, killing of around 40 students.