Army said

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Two men described by Ugandan troops as “armed terrorists” were killed in the capital Kampala because the country marked Marters Day – a Christian celebration in honor of the 19th century believers.

Army spokesman Chris Magezi said in an article published on X that an anti-terrorism department was “intercepted and neutralized” two people, one of whom was a suicide bomber.

According to local media reports, the incident occurred near the shrine of the Roman Catholic Martyr Munonho, where a small group of people gathered to pray.

The report also quoted the explosion, with witnesses telling Uganda’s Daily Surveillance newspaper that “explosive explosiveness detonated halfway through.”

Reuters reported that no other casualties were injured.

An Army spokesman did not confirm the explosion, but added that authorities were on a “strengthening alarm.”

One of the people killed was a female “suicide bomber.”

Footage from Uganda’s NBS TV showed security and legal staff at the scene of the incident and blocked the area.

Col Magezi told Reuters that the two men are believed to have ties to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which has ties to the Islamic State Group.

ADF has not commented yet.

Uganda has faced threats from the organization throughout history.

Last year, the Army warned citizens that the ADF planned to attack places of worship, public events, schools and urban areas.

A year ago, in 2023, the group was accused of a fatal attack on a Uganda school, killing nearly 40 students.

Martyrs Day is one of the largest Christian pilgrims in Africa, attracting millions of believers each year in memory of 45 people, consisting of 22 Catholics and 23 Anglicans, who were killed between 1885 and 1887 between Kabaka Mwanga Mwanga II in Buganda because they rejected their faith.

The monarch asked them to return to the traditional religion, but they refused and were accused of disobeying him and later burned to death.