British Tourist Fatally Shot in Uganda Safari Attack
British Tourist and Newlywed Wife Brutally Slain in 'Cowardly' Assault During Honeymoon, Alongside Local Guide
Headline: Newlywed British Tourist and Wife Fatally Ambushed on Ugandan Honeymoon
In a tragic incident on Tuesday evening, a British tourist and his newlywed South African wife were ruthlessly ambushed and fatally shot while on their honeymoon at Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. The couple, whose identities are yet to be disclosed, were accompanied by their local guide, identified as Eric Alyai.
The assailants targeted the trio between 6pm and 7pm local time, according to Ivan Wassaaka, co-owner of Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris, the tour company overseeing their expedition. The attackers left the tourists and their Ugandan guide fatally wounded, and set their vehicle ablaze.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni condemned the act as a “cowardly act on the part of the terrorists attacking innocent civilians and tragic for the couple who were newlyweds and visiting Uganda on their honeymoon.” He pledged that Ugandan forces would relentlessly pursue those responsible.
Authorities have attributed the attack to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a shadowy rebel group linked to the Islamic State. Museveni called for the group’s eradication and vowed that the terrorists “will pay with their own wretched lives.”
Ugandan police spokesman Fred Enanga confirmed the incident, stating, “We have registered a cowardly terrorist attack on two foreign tourists and a Ugandan in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The three were killed, and their safari vehicle burnt.” He extended deepest condolences to the victims’ families.
The ADF, originally rooted in Uganda but now based in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State four years ago. While primarily active in Congo, the group has escalated attacks within Uganda, including a deadly raid on a secondary school in June.
President Museveni, a longstanding US security ally, has faced opposition from the ADF for decades. In December 2021, Uganda and Congo jointly launched a ground and air operation against the ADF in eastern Congo, claiming to have neutralised over 560 fighters and dismantled their camps.
Despite these efforts, Museveni acknowledged on Wednesday that there were “gaps” in security services’ handling of the group’s remaining elements. Attacks within and around national parks are infrequent in Uganda, with specialised police units deployed for protection.
The Bridgeway Foundation, a US-based think-tank specialising in the ADF, observed that the attack took place approximately 20 km (12 miles) from the Congo border, significantly deeper into Ugandan territory than prior incidents.
In response to the incident, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office revised its travel advisory for Uganda, advising against “all but essential travel” to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Travellers already in the park were urged to adhere to local security advice and consider leaving the area if safe to do so.
