Report | Two bomb blasts near Indian para-badminton players' hotel in Uganda, players safe
The Indian para-badminton team is in Kampala currently, to take part in the Uganda Para-Badminton International 2021 competition, but on Tuesday, the capital city of the African nation was rocked by two explosions. But Para-badminton India announced on Twitter that the team is safe.
Tokyo 2020 participants Pramod Bhagat and Manoj Sarkar are the two players taking part in the competition, and were in the hotel when the incident took place. The Para-Badminton India Twitter handle posted a video of the incident.
Indian Team is Safe!There is multiple Bomb Blast 100 mtr away from official Hotel in which @parabadmintonIN team staying incl. @GauravParaCoach
— Para-Badminton India (@parabadmintonIN) November 16, 2021
& @PramodBhagat83 @manojsarkar07@joshimanasi11@IndiainUganda@Media_SAI @ParalympicIndia @YASMinistry @IndiaSports @PMOIndia https://t.co/bAlsNdK4XS pic.twitter.com/TldWuwlXUn
As per NTV Uganda, 'scores' had been injured in the two blasts, one of which exploded close to the parliament.
A Ugandan military spokesperson, Brigadier Flavia Byekwaso, told Reuters that there had been “multiple" blasts and “multiple" casualties but declined to give further details.
On the other hand, Irene Nakasiita, spokesperson at the Uganda Red Cross, said that "they would release information about the blasts later."
Although there is no official confirmation, Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab could be the culprit. In the past too, Al Shabaab had carried out several deadly bombings in Uganda.