Master Planner Of The Kampala 2021 Bombings Ambushed In Mityana , Killed While Exchanging Gun Fire With Security
The Counter Terrorism forces, in conjunction with police, have successfully neutralized Yasin Damulira, a top planner of the 2021 bomb killings, and recovered one submachine gun. The operation was carried out in Mityana.
The forces stated, “On May 28, 2024, Defence Intelligence Security, during follow-up operations, detected Ddamulira communicating in Mityana.”
They added, “On the same night, Counter Terrorism forces and police attempted to arrest Yasin Ddamulira, resulting in a fire exchange and he was finally put out of action and one submachine gun (SMG) was recovered.”
The forces obtained the whereabouts of Damulira from Musa Kabanda, also known as Akman, after his arrest, and later established that he was among the top planners.
He revealed that he was working closely with Ddamulira, also known as Musubuzi, Abas Sekimpi (currently on remand), and Sulaiman Nsubuga, who was arrested on April 27, 2024. In the 2021 bombings, at least three people were killed and 33 others wounded in twin suicide bombings in Kampala, according to police.
One of the explosions was on a street near the parliament building and the other near a police station. The explosion near parliament appeared to hit closer to a building housing an insurance company and the subsequent fire engulfed cars parked outside.
On 16 November 2021 , at around 10:03 a.m., three suicide bombers attacked two targets in Kampala within three minutes of each other. The first bomber blew himself up at checkpoint of the Central Police Station (CPS) just opposite Kooki Towers building along Buganda Road, killing two people and injuring several others, including police officers at the entrance of the police station.
The explosion shuttered glass windows on the CPS building and the Kooki Tower building. Two other bombers then exploded at Jubilee House along Parliamentary Avenue about 100 meters from the entrance of the Parliament, killing two more people and injuring many others.
The people killed were three civilians and one policeman. Thirty-three more were injured, including five in critical conditions. More bombs have been found in other parts of the city. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks. Security forces killed seven suspects and arrested 106 more in connection to the attack days later.
Also relatedly, On 8 October 2021, Islamic State militants bombed a police post in Kawempe. Nobody was injured in the attack. It was the first time that the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack in Uganda.
At 9 p.m. on 23 October 2021, a bomb exploded in a bar in Komamboga, a suburb in Kawempe North, Kampala, killing a waitress and injuring three other people. Three men, pretending to be customers, brought the bomb into the restaurant in a polythene bag and left it under a table, leaving before it exploded.
On 24 October, the Islamic State claimed responsibility, saying they targeted the establishment because it is frequented by government employees. At 5 p.m. on 25 October 2021, a suicide bomber blew himself up on a bus in Lungala, Mpigi District, carrying 52 passengers.
Three people were wounded in the attack. The bus was travelling between Masaka and Kampala. The attacker was the only one who died in the incident. A day later, authorities identified him as a member of the ADF.
On 29 October 2021, two children were killed during a bomb explosion at a village in Nakaseke District. The device looked like an exotic “jackfruit” and was given to the children while they were playing. The victims were a 14-year-old and a disabled child.