British safari tourist killed by suspected Isis-linked terrorists in Uganda was on honeymoon
A British man and his South African wife were honeymooning in a national park in Uganda when they were killed by suspected terrorists, the country’s president has said.
Police in Uganda said the newlyweds, named locally as Dave and Celia Barlow, and their Ugandan guide were driving through Queen Elizabeth National Park on Tuesday when they were attacked and killed by suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
The ADF is an Islamist rebel group affiliated with Isis.
A tribute to the couple came from their church, St Mary’s Church in Hampstead Norreys, west Berkshire.
Church warden Richard Davies said: “We wake today with a heavy heart, and the deepest sorrow to hear the devastating news of the death of Dave and Celia Barlow. This is for so many of us, incomprehensible.
“Our thoughts are with their families, their much loved friends and all who knew them in Hampstead Norreys and our wider community. We also remember the family of their Ugandan guide, who was also killed.
“Words cannot express how to react to this dreadful news.
“The church is open, all are welcome for private thoughts and prayers. You are invited to light a candle in memory of Dave and Celia.”
Mr Barlow ran a wood yard in nearby Hermitage and was chairman of Hampstead Norreys parish council as well as chairman of the local cricket club.
Parish council member Toby Harris said: “David was a very genuine person, he would say what he was thinking, he was very funny, with a great sense of humour and a genuinely nice bloke.
“I spent a lot of time bumping into him at the pub for a beer or two. He was approachable and down-to-earth.
“I only met Celia once for around half an hour, she was friendly and welcoming, a really nice person.
“They were well-thought-of by people here, members of the community travelled to be at their wedding, which shows how popular he was.”
Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, said on social media: “It was a cowardly act on the part of the terrorists attacking innocent civilians and tragic for the couple who were newlyweds and visiting Uganda on their honeymoon.
“Of course, these terrorists will pay with their own wretched lives.”
Uganda Police Force spokesman Fred Enanga wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “We have registered a cowardly terrorist attack on two foreign tourists and a Ugandan in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The three were killed, and their safari vehicle burnt.
“Our joint forces responded immediately upon receiving the information and are aggressively pursuing the suspected ADF rebels. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
Uganda and nearby Congo launched a joint ground and air operation against the ADF in December 2021 in an effort to eliminate them from eastern Congo.
Uganda says it has succeeded in killing more than 560 fighters and destroyed their camps, but Mr Museveni on Wednesday acknowledged “gaps” in how the security services had dealt with “remnants” of the group that continue to pose a threat.
The Bridgeway Foundation, a US-based think-tank that studies the ADF, noted in a brief analysis that the attack occurred about 12 miles from the Congo border, far deeper into Ugandan territory than previous raids.
In his social media post, Mr Museveni added: “Killing these wretched individuals will not bring back the lives of these wonderful friends of Uganda who had chosen our country for their honeymoon out of the 193 countries of the world.
“Our High Commission in the UK will reach out to their families and provide whatever support is necessary in this tragic situation.”
He added that Ugandan authorities will ensure these “mistakes” will not happen again.
Following the incident, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for Uganda, warning against “all but essential travel” to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is in south-west Uganda.
An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are providing consular assistance to the family of a British national following an incident at Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. We are in close contact with the local authorities.
“British nationals in the area should follow our travel advice and contact us if they require assistance.”
A statement on its website said: “If you are currently in the park, you should follow the advice of local security authorities. If you are able to do so safely, you should consider leaving the area.”
Source » inews.co.uk
