Soldiers killed in Bwindi park
PANIC gripped tourists at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on Saturday in a night-long shoot-out in which two soldiers died and five villagers injured after a soldier run amok.
By Gerald Tenywa
PANIC gripped tourists at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on Saturday in a night-long shoot-out in which two soldiers died and five villagers injured after a soldier run amok.
However, calm was restored on Sunday morning after the disturbed soldier was killed as he was being arrested at dawn.
Damian Akankwasa, the acting head of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), yesterday said the incident took place outside the park in Buhoma village.
“There were no tourists involved. The only problem was the scare, but they have recovered and tracking is taking place as usual,’’ he said.
But eyewitnesses said one of the tourists was still scared and abandoned tracking the coveted gorillas residing in Bwindi, which holds half of the global population of gorillas, estimated at 750.
“The situation is normal, though some of the villagers who did not know what was happening are still scared,’’ said a tour operator.
Interahamwe terrorists who killed some tourists and park officials about five years ago hit Bwindi, but the situation returned to normal and it is one of the safest destinations for tourists after creation of a tourism Police.
Akankwasa said the soldiers involved in the shoot-out belong to the tourism Police, comprising the army and UWA.
PANIC gripped tourists at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on Saturday in a night-long shoot-out in which two soldiers died and five villagers injured after a soldier run amok.
However, calm was restored on Sunday morning after the disturbed soldier was killed as he was being arrested at dawn.
Damian Akankwasa, the acting head of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), yesterday said the incident took place outside the park in Buhoma village.
“There were no tourists involved. The only problem was the scare, but they have recovered and tracking is taking place as usual,’’ he said.
But eyewitnesses said one of the tourists was still scared and abandoned tracking the coveted gorillas residing in Bwindi, which holds half of the global population of gorillas, estimated at 750.
“The situation is normal, though some of the villagers who did not know what was happening are still scared,’’ said a tour operator.
Interahamwe terrorists who killed some tourists and park officials about five years ago hit Bwindi, but the situation returned to normal and it is one of the safest destinations for tourists after creation of a tourism Police.
Akankwasa said the soldiers involved in the shoot-out belong to the tourism Police, comprising the army and UWA.