A group of 43 Ugandan students has safely returned home after being evacuated from Tehran, amid a dramatic escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. The students touched down at Entebbe International Airport on Thursday, following a complex, UPDF-coordinated rescue mission.
The operation was necessitated by the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Iran, which began with coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Israel on February 28. The strikes targeted multiple cities, including the capital Tehran, and resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, plunging the country into uncertainty. In the days that followed, the conflict intensified with further missile and drone barrages, leading to widespread security concerns and the closure of Iranian airspace.
For the 43 Ugandan students, many of whom were on scholarship, their academic life abruptly shifted to a survival mode.
With commercial flights grounded, Ugandan authorities opted for a swift overland evacuation. The students were assembled in Tehran and embarked on a 24-hour journey to the Gurbulak border crossing into Turkey.
The operation was meticulously coordinated by Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. On the ground, the effort was led by the UPDF Defence Advisor to Turkey, Major General Bob Ogiki. A critical step in the process was the securing of emergency transit visas from Turkish authorities, which allowed the group to cross the border without delay.
Upon crossing into Turkey, the exhausted students faced an additional 18-hour bus ride to Istanbul, where they were provided with accommodation and meals and were allowed to rest and recover before their final flight home.
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, the students were received by the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, who led the government delegation to welcome them back on Ugandan soil.
Minister Barugahara extended his gratitude to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the UPDF leadership, particularly commending the swift and decisive coordination by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba that ensured the students' safe return.
The returning students also expressed their heartfelt appreciation to General Muhoozi Kainerugaba for his personal involvement in the operation. Speaking shortly after their arrival, the students revealed that the CDF's direct oversight not only ensured the swiftness of the rescue but also guaranteed their comfort during the transit period in Turkey.
They said that while in Turkey, they lacked nothing—accommodation, food, and everything they needed was provided.
Amid their gratitude, some of the students also made requests to the government to support their academic and future plans. A section of the students appealed to the government to facilitate their assimilation into local universities, allowing them to continue their studies without interruption following the abrupt end to their academic programs in Iran.
Additionally, other students requested that the government provide them with return air tickets to Tehran once the situation in Iran normalizes, enabling them to complete their studies.
The students' safe return has drawn widespread commendation from Ugandans, with many praising the government's swift action in securing their evacuation amid the escalating conflict.