US issues Uganda terror attack warning

Kampala: The United States embassy in Uganda issued an emergency warning to its nationals on Wednesday, saying a terrorist attack may take place soon in the capital Kampala.

"The US embassy has received information of possible terrorist threats to locations where Westerners, including US citizens, congregate in Kampala, and that an attack may take place soon," the embassy said.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the US mission has cancelled some non-essential events scheduled at local hotels in the coming days," it said, telling US citizens they "should expect increased security sweeps and delays when entering or exiting hotel areas."

Uganda has been attacked in the past by Somalia`s Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab militants, and the embassy last issued an emergency warning last September -- after which Ugandan police and security sources said they intercepted a transfer of suicide vests by suspected Shebab members.

The Islamists were also behind the September 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping mall in neighbouring Kenya`s capital Nairobi, and recently issued a call for fresh attacks against such locations.

Uganda is a key contributor to the African Union force battling the Shebab inside Somalia.