The Police Flying Squad Unit–FSU has recovered a PK machine gun that was allegedly used to attack Kyabadaza police station in Butambala district about three weeks ago.
The gun was allegedly recovered from the hideout of Ali Katende alias Mao, the suspected commander of that group that raided Kyabadaza police station during a raid by the Flying Squad Unit on Saturday night.
The unit acted on a tip-off from two suspects who were arrested from Maganjo in Kawempe division and information availed by residents of Kyalugo village in Bugambila parish, Nyendo- Mukungwe division, in Masaka City.
During the joint raid by the FSU and Crime Intelligence officers, the officers recovered the PK, and seven Sub-Machine Guns –SMGs. Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, who confirmed the successful operation in Nyendo –Mukungwe, said Katende would base in Masaka to coordinate his other terror cells in Maganjo and Matugga.
This comes a week after security shot dead Akim Kajubi and Male Muhanguzi, who were suspected to be members of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces-ADF in Matugga.
Enanga said that the ballistic examination of projectiles picked at Kyabadaza and Busiika police station attack connected Katende’s group to the crimes, in which Assistant Inspector of Police Wagaluka Alex, Constables Moses Ongol, and Stephen Odama were shot dead and their guns were taken on October 31, 2022.
In his end-of-year message, the Inspector General of Police, Martin Ochola listed attacks on security personnel as one of the challenges the forces faced this year.
“We also disrupted efforts by the ADF, to reconstitute and establish operational cells in Lukaya and Butambala, and most recently in Matugga and Maganjo. Several suspects linked to the hostile group were arrested, including the leader of the ADF terror cell in the Central Region, Kabanda Abdallah Musa alias Mogo. An assortment of exhibits in form of IEDs, suicide bomb jackets, bomb-making, instruction materials, rifles, ammunition, motorcycles, and electronic gadgets was recovered,” Ochola said.