Three rebels were killed, and eight individuals, including five children and three women, were rescued in the ongoing joint operation, Operation Shuuja, led by the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF) and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Major Bilal Katamba, the Public Information Officer of the UPDF Mountain Division and Operation Shuuja, confirmed the successful operation. The rescued individuals, abducted during an ambush on a bus traveling from Kamanda to Beni on November 5, 2021, are now receiving treatment after being rescued from the West bank of River Lunah in Matunguru Valley, North East of Maitatu, Irumu territory, Ituri Province in Eastern DRC.
The joint forces also recovered an RPG bomb and various medicines used by the ADF rebels during the operation. Pursuit operations are ongoing to apprehend rebels still on the run, following their expulsion from Mwalika Valley late last year.
President Museveni, in his security address on January 9, called on the ADF rebels to surrender, emphasizing the UPDF’s commitment to persist in operations against them. He highlighted the rebels’ lack of understanding of warfare and the military’s capacity.
Uganda commenced operations in eastern DRC on November 30, 2021, following approval from President Felix Tshisekedi to conduct a joint operation with FARDC. Operation Shuuja, initiated on the same day, marked its second anniversary on November 30, 2023. Headquartered in sector four at Luna in the Ituri province, the operation has significantly impacted the fight against ADF rebels, resulting in the elimination of hundreds.
The joint forces continue to track down and neutralize surviving ADF rebels who have dispersed into smaller groups across the last three sectors.
