US citizens in Uganda warned to seek shelter amid terror operation

The State Department has advised U.S. citizens in Uganda’s capital to shelter in place through Saturday evening after Ugandan authorities appeared to disrupt a terrorist plot by an al Qaeda-linked group. 

“We are continuing our engagement with Ugandan authorities as we seek to assess the scope of the disrupted al-Shabaab terrorist plot and whether there are members of the cell still at large,” the U.S. Embassy in Kampala said in an emergency message. 

Al-Shabaab is aligned with al Qaeda and is based in Somalia. The U.S. killed al-Shabaab’s co-founder, Ahmed Godane, in a U.S. airstrike earlier this month. 

{mosads}“As a cautionary measure, and to give authorities time to put their heightened security measures in place, we urge all U.S. citizens to continue to shelter in place through this evening,” the U.S. alert said.  

The embassy said it would provide an update on the situation Sunday morning.

Earlier Saturday, the embassy tweeted that all U.S. citizens were advised to go to a safe location or to stay at home after Ugandan officials began conducting an operation against a terrorist cell in the country’s capital. 

The operation began around 12:30 p.m. local time, State Department spokesman Darby Holladay said in an email to The Hill. He added the U.S. is “not aware of the specific targets of the plotters.” 

“Investigation continues into what appears to have been planned attack. Urge all possible caution. No specific target known,” the embassy said on Twitter. 

Ugandan authorities have increased security around Kampala at important sites, including Entebbe International Airport.