Dozens of pupils killed by militants in Uganda school attack

(Warning: Some people may find details in this story distressing)

Nearly 40 pupils have been killed at a school in western Uganda by rebels linked to the Islamic State group (IS).

Five militants attacked the Lhubiriha secondary school in Mpondwe at around 23:30 (20:30 GMT) on Friday.

They entered dormitories, setting fire and using machetes to kill and maim the pupils, officials said. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – have been blamed and a manhunt is under way.

More than 60 people are educated at the school, most of whom live there. Uganda’s information minister said 37 students were confirmed to have been killed, but did not give their ages. Twenty of them were attacked with machetes and 17 of them burned to death, Chris Baryomunsi told the BBC.

Survivors said the rebels threw a bomb into the dormitory after the machete attack. It is not clear if this resulted in a fire in the building which was reported earlier.

Six students were also abducted to carry food that the rebels stole from the school’s stores, he added. The militants then returned across the border into the DRC.

Some of the bodies are said to have been badly burnt and DNA tests will need to be carried out to identify them. Eight people remain in a critical condition after the attack.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the “appalling act” and called for those behind it to be brought to justice.