- NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WAS TAKEN AS ALL EMBASSY STAFF WERE EVACUATED TO UGANDA
Uganda’s Embassy in Khartoum-Sudan remains unsecured for now following an attack last night by suspected Sudanese rebels known as Rapid Support Forces.
We understood that our embassy is located in an area where governmnent forces have no control as the place is controlled by RSF.
Our Inspectors told us that the embassy was locked up and all staff returned to Uganda following the outbreak of the fighting.
Until the situation normalizes, the embassy according to authorities will remain closed just like the others that were attacked.
Our Inspectors said that apart from the staff that were brought back, all other valuables including computers, vehicles, documents and related wares were locked up in the Embassy premises but as the situation stands now, no one has gone there to assess the damage caused by the attack.
“They broke into the embassy and it’s now open. It’s not secured and no one knows what was taken. Its a situation we can’t really know when it will end. For now, no one can access the premises” an inspector said, adding that the keys to the embassy were brought back to Uganda and are being kept by the head of Chancery/deputy Amb. Dickson Ogwang. Our Inspectors said among the properties the rebels were interested in were mostly vehicles and computers, meaning even Uganda might have lost its Land Cruisers and other important vehicles in it’s fleet which is said to be sizeable.
The rebels are led by hitherto vice president Gen. Hemeti who broke up with his president Gen. Bruhan resulting into a protracted war in the capital Khartoum on April 15 2023.
The Ugandan Embassy is among the six foreign installations that the RSF rebels allegedly attacked making away with valuable documents and destruction of property.
“In continuation of its terrorist approach, violation of the armistice, and violation of international laws and norms, the rebel Rapid Support militia forces, yesterday, Sunday, May 14, 2023, attacked and forcibly entered the headquarters of several diplomatic missions” a statement from Sudanese governmnent said. Among those vandalized included the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Embassy of the Republic of Uganda, Military Attache of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and The Military Attache of the State of Kuwait.
The government in Khartoum said the rebel forces tampered with documents, damaged furniture, and stole valuables, including computers and diplomatic cars, without observing international law and the norms concerned with the sanctity and protection of the headquarters and property of diplomatic missions.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns this criminal and barbaric behavior of the rebel Rapid Support Forces, and calls on the international community to condemn it in the strongest terms, to consider it a terrorist organization and to hold it legally and morally responsible before national and international justice mechanisms” the statement said.
This News site tried to get a comment from authorities in our embassy and deputy ambassador confirmed the incident.
“Yes they attacked it. For now we don’t know the extent of the damage as no one can access the embassy. That’s all I can say” he said.
Recently, governmnent evacuated over 200 Ugandans mostly embassy staff led by Amb. Dr. Rashid Yahaya Ssemuddu and his Head of Chancery/deputy Amb. Dickson Ogwang. The returnees were received at Entebbe by first son Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba who promised to do everything possible to have even the remaining lot of Ugandans evacuated.
The evacuation operation was led by Ssemuddu and brig. Freddie Karara with full facilitation and command of CiC Gen. Yoweri Museveni with the coordination of DG ESO and Muhoozi.
