Bombings in Kampala

As I'm sure most of you heard on the news, Kampala was attacked on the night of the World Cup final. There were 3 bomb attacks; two within a minute of each other at a local Rugby ground that was showing the final on a big screen, and one at a popular Ethiopian restaurant, which was also showing the game.

The number of deaths has now reached 76 according to a newspaper published this morning.

The bombings are suspected to have been carried out by a extreme Islamist Somali group named Al Shahaab; undertaken as punishment for Ugandan peacekeeping troops being present in Somalia under a African Union mandate.

For whatever reason they were carried out, and by whoever it was done, the attack on innocent people, busy enjoying themselves with friends and family, revelling in a World Cup that was seen as a momentous occasion for all of Africa was sickening.

These people had absolutely nothing to do with the Ugandan Government's decision to involve itself in Somalia and there can be absolutely no possible justification for the targetting of innocent humans.

The leader of Al Shahaab was quoted as saying that he is happy with the bombings; that Uganda is their enemy and whatever makes them cry, makes us happy. Uganda may be the enemy of this group, but innocent civilians are not, and the fact that this group is revelling in the destruction of human life, in such a cowardly way, highlights the sheer disgust with which groups like this should be viewed. There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for this kind of action.

It may seem far away, and it may not seem important to you, but just spare a moment to consider these innocent people, and their families, whose lives have been torn apart by these cowardly, deplorable and despicable actions.