Suspected bomb hits church near DRC- Uganda border

Mpondwe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A suspected bomb has exploded inside a church in Lhubira, DR Congo.

The explosion happened on Sunday leaving unspecified number of casualties. The church reportedly belonging to the Born again faith is about 3 kms from the Ugandan border.

Traces of blood and wounded people lying on ground could be seen in captured pictures and video’s said to be from the scene shared on social media.

Antoinette Kavira, a businessman from DR Congo says he was on a motorcycle with his elder brother when they heard a huge blast around 1:00 PM as they were heading to Mpondwe in Uganda for business.

He said he was still stuck at the border after Ugandan security personnel restricted entry into Uganda following the blast.

The Bukhonzo constituency Deputy Resident District Commissioner – RDC,  Lt. Elly Magwara told URN that the situation on the Uganda side was calm but added that the security at the border is ready to offer a helping hand to their counter parts.

Suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia have been targeting large gatherings in the region.

In 2021, a makeshift bomb exploded inside a Catholic church in the city of Beni in DR Congo’s injuring two women just an hour before a children’s confirmation while in December, bomber attacked a restaurant in the same town and killed five people.

In February 2022, four people were hurt when a bomb exploded at a busy market Beni while in April six were killed by a suspected bomb blast in the city of Goma and both incidents were blamed on ADF group.

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