Kampala, Uganda - In a nighttime raid, suspected rebels launched an attack on a school situated in a remote area of Uganda, close to the border with Congo. Tragically, at least 41 individuals lost their lives in the assault, including 38 students who were in their dormitories at the time.

The attackers, armed with guns and machetes, brutally killed some students by burning them beyond recognition, while others were shot or hacked to death, as reported by a local mayor to The Associated Press.

Alongside the 38 students, one security guard, and two residents from the local community in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha town, were among those killed, Mayor Selevest Mapoze confirmed. The Ugandan military also stated that six students were abducted by the rebels and forced to serve as porters for the looted food from the school's store.

The privately-owned co-ed school is located approximately two kilometers (slightly over a mile) from the Congo border.

Authorities attribute the tragic massacre at Lhubiriha Secondary School to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an elusive extremist organization known for launching attacks from their bases in the volatile eastern regions of Congo. Over the years, villagers in the Congolese provinces of Ituri and North Kivu have been targeted by the alleged assaults orchestrated by this group.

While attacks on the Ugandan side of the border are infrequent, the presence of a Ugandan alpine brigade in the area has contributed to maintaining relative stability.

The shocking attack has deeply impacted Uganda, a typically peaceful East African country, renowned for its government's emphasis on security. It also serves as a setback for the country's armed forces, who have been conducting operations in parts of eastern Congo since 2021, specifically aimed at apprehending the militants accused of carrying out school attacks.

The commander of Ugandan troops in Congo revealed to reporters that the rebels had spent two nights in Kasese before executing their attack, without providing further specifics. Major General Dick Olum explained that ADF rebels, when facing pressure, often employ a tactic of dividing into smaller groups to divert attention from their pursuers, launching violent attacks in different locations. He suggested that the recent school attack was an attempt by the rebels to alleviate pressure on the battlefront.

According to the Ugandan military, the school raid took place at approximately 11:30 p.m. and involved around five attackers. Soldiers from a nearby brigade swiftly responded to the incident, discovering the school engulfed in flames, with the lifeless bodies of students scattered throughout the compound, as stated by military spokesman Brigadier Felix Kulayigye in a statement.

Winnie Kiiza, a prominent political leader and former lawmaker from the region, condemned the attack on Twitter, describing it as a "cowardly attack." She emphasized that assaults on schools are unacceptable and constitute a severe violation of children's rights, stressing that educational institutions should always be a secure haven for every student.

The ADF, accused of carrying out numerous attacks in recent years, specifically targeting civilians in remote areas of eastern Congo, seldom takes responsibility for its actions.

Opposing the leadership of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, a U.S. security ally who has held power in the East African nation since 1986, the ADF has a long-standing history of opposition.

Established in the early 1990s by certain Ugandan Muslims who claimed to be marginalized by Museveni's policies, the rebels conducted deadly assaults in Ugandan villages and even the capital. One notable incident occurred in 1998 when 80 students were massacred in a town not far from the site of the recent attack.

Following a military offensive by the Ugandan forces, the ADF was compelled to relocate to eastern Congo, where numerous rebel groups operate due to the limited control of the central government. Subsequently, the ADF formed ties with the Islamic State group.

In March, suspected ADF extremists were responsible for the deaths of at least 19 individuals in Congo.

For years, Ugandan authorities have pledged to pursue ADF militants, even beyond the borders of Uganda. In 2021, Uganda initiated joint air and artillery strikes against the group in Congo.