黑料社

KAMPALA, Uganda 鈥� The explosions occurred in the central business district of Kampala near the central police station and the entrance to parliament, police said.

鈥淲hat we can say (is) this was an attack but who is responsible is a matter that is under investigation,鈥� Uganda鈥檚 Assistant Inspector General of police Edward Ochom told AFP.

Health ministry spokesman Ainebyoona Emmanuel said on Twitter that Kampala鈥檚 Mulago Hospital was treating 24 people, four in critical condition.

鈥淔ollowing the unfortunate and cowardly act of terrorism, our health workers are working around the clock to save lives of those injured,鈥� he said.

The explosion near the police station shattered windows while the one near the entrance to parliament saw cars parked nearby burst into flames, Ochom said.

鈥淲e have dispatched a team鈥� to the area, Uganda Red Cross spokeswoman Irene Nakasiita told AFP.

The twin attacks follow two blasts last month 鈥� a bus explosion near Kampala that wounded many people and a bombing at a roadside eatery in the capital that killed one woman.

Police said last month both those attacks were connected and were carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) which the United States has linked to the Islamic State group.

Kyle Spencer, the executive director of Uganda鈥檚 Internet Exchange Point, told AFP that Tuesday鈥檚 explosions had sparked panic among many people nearby.

鈥淭he road to parliament is closed off, there are people just crying, everyone else is just trying to get away from these areas,鈥� he said.

鈥淓verybody is evacuating office buildings and the buildings are locking up and not letting anybody inside.鈥�

Parliament cancelled its Tuesday session following the attacks, asking members to avoid the area 鈥渁s security forces are working hard to restore order鈥�.

The premises were put under tight security, with heavily armed soldiers securing the area as forensics officers in white overalls inspected the blast site for clues.

The US embassy in Kampala warned its citizens to steer clear of the area and monitor local news.

Ugandan police last month arrested a number of ADF operatives and warned that extremists were believed to be plotting a new attack on 鈥渕ajor installations鈥�.

The ADF, historically a Ugandan rebel group, has been accused of killing thousands of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In March the United States officially linked the ADF to IS.

The ADF is considered by experts to be the bloodiest of more than 120 armed groups that roam eastern DRC, many of them a legacy of two regional wars a quarter-century ago.