KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A Ugandan official says seven Eritrean soccer players have disappeared at the end of a regional tournament.
Rogers Mulindwa, a spokesman for a body that organized the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup, said Tuesday that a police search for the players continues.
A police spokesman did not immediately comment.
The players are believed to be the latest to defect from Eritrea, whose government under President Isaias Afwerki has been described by human rights groups as one of the most tightly controlled regimes in the world.
Four members of Eritrea's under-20 soccer team sought asylum in Uganda in October.
Many young people fleeing the East African nation oppose its system of indefinite national service and forced military conscription.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.
Additional Reads
-
Eritrea accused of starting offensive on Ethiopia's Tigray September 20, 2022 -
-
-
Uganda's Bobi Wine Goes to Court to Dispute President's Win February 1, 2021