David and Celia Barlow, a British couple on their honeymoon and their guide were killed in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. The couple has been named locally and was from Hampstead Norreys, near Newbury in Berkshire. Friends and family of the couple have paid tribute to them, describing them as an amazing couple who will be desperately missed. The village’s cricket club and parish council also expressed their condolences, calling Mr. Barlow a “pillar of the community” who served the council for more than a decade.
Uganda’s police said their vehicle was set alight after they were killed in the national park. The government of Uganda has promised to provide support to the families of the murdered couple. British nationals in the country have been advised to follow the latest travel advice and take necessary precautions. The UK Foreign Office has updated its advisory by stating that it is advising against “all but essential travel” to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Police have said joint forces were pursuing suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group, an IS-linked Islamist group which traces its roots to Uganda but operates mainly in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The two countries have intensified operations targeting the group in recent months, and the incident occurred near Uganda’s border with DRC. IS claimed responsibility for the attack via its Telegram channels, without providing evidence.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said they are providing consular assistance to the family of a British national following the incident in Uganda and are in close contact with the local authorities. They also warned British nationals in the area to follow the travel advice and then contact them if they require any assistance. The police were “aggressively pursuing” the suspected rebels, while expressing “deepest condolences to the families of the victims”, according to the local authorities
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