The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has issued a call for increased vigilance among Ugandans as the pursuit of Allied Defence Forces (ADF) rebels in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues.
In a statement released on April 14, 2024, Felix Kulayigye, the defence public information officer, emphasized that the joint forces operating in Eastern DRC, comprising the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and UPDF, are dedicated to ensuring peace and security in Uganda and the Eastern DRC.
Kulayigye provided an update on the ongoing efforts to combat the ADF insurgency, stressing the importance of citizen vigilance in this process.
According to Kulayigye, recent military operations have dealt significant blows to the ADF, leading to the dispersal of their forces into smaller, yet still dangerous, groups.
Just five days prior to the statement, a joint mobile squad force under the 83rd battalion of the UPDF successfully neutralized another ADF militant known as Dr. Musa. The operation took place near Tokomeka, approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Kainama.
Dr. Musa, of Rwandan origin, was operating in close collaboration with another notorious ADF commander, Muhammad Luminsa, at the time of his elimination.
Major Bilal Katamba, the public information officer for UPDF Mountain Division/Operation Shujaa, reported that the joint forces recovered weaponry, including a submachine gun (SMG) and a radio (walkie-talkie), following the operation.
Additionally, Katamba highlighted the intensified efforts by the ADF to deploy improvised explosive devices (IEDs). However, the joint forces’ technical explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams effectively managed the threat posed by these devices.
According to Major Bilal Katamba, the pursuit of ADF remnants remains a top priority for the joint forces, who continue to aggressively track down the rebels in their dispersed hideouts across all operational sectors.
