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BBC Pidgin of Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Source: BBC

Uganda school attack: I use blood cover myself to hide

Student Julius Isingoma survive di attack Student Julius Isingoma survive di attack

Student Julius Isingoma tell BBC how e miraculously survive one night-time assault by suspected Islamist rebels for im school dormitory for western Uganda.

"I put di blood of my dead colleagues for my mouth, ears and on my head so dat di attackers go think say I don die," e tok, wen we meet am for Bwera General Hospital for Kasese district.

About 40 pipo - 37 of dem students - die for di attack on di secondary school for di small town of Mpondwe on Friday night.

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni blame di attack on di Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), adding say dem dey "possibly working with oda criminals because I hear say school get some wrangles". E no elaborate, but vow to hunt down di militants for dia hide-outs across di border for di Democratic Republic of Congo.

Di ADF never comot to react.

Dem form am for 1990s and take up arms against Oga Museveni, alleging persecution of di minority Muslims population.

Im leader bin reportedly pledge allegiance to di Islamic State (IS) group for 2016.

But no be until April 2019 wey IS first acknowledge im activity for di area, when e claim one attack on army positions near di border with Uganda.

Di statement mark di announcement of IS's "Central Africa Province" (Iscap).

Belief dey say di militants bin kidnap Six students as dem dey retreat to DR Congo.

Julius dey among six pipo wey manage to survive di assault wey last for several hours.

E no fit identify di attackers, but say dem be gun-wielding men wey launch their attack at about 22:00 local time.

Dem come to di boys' dormitory but di students don lock am after realising say dem dey in danger.

"When dem no fit open di door dem throw a bomb inside di dormitory and den use hammers and axes to break down di door," e tok.

Julius dey stand behind many of di students wey bin form a shield near di door and dey shot dead when di militants enta di dormitory.

Plenti cries as dem gun down di students , hacked or shoot dem to death.

E sharparly climb to di top of one bunk bed, remove some of di wooden planks of di ceiling, and jumpe inside to hide.

From there, e helplessly watch as di assailants brutally murder im colleagues, and den set fire to mattresses and comot.

"I dey overwhelmed by di smoke and drop back down into di dormitory with a sound," e tok.

Di militants hear di thud and come back.

Na for dat point that Julius know say e gatz come out of di attack alive.

"I lay next to di bloodied bodies of my friends and think very fast. Den I smear a lot of blood into my ears, mouth and on my head and when di militants come, dem check my hand for a pulse and comot," Julius tok.