Ituri Province, DRC – Two Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers were killed in a clash with Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels on Wednesday in Apakwang, approximately 40 kilometers north of Komanda in Mambasa territory, Ituri Province.
UPDF spokesperson Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye confirmed the incident and dismissed earlier reports circulating on Congolese social media that claimed dozens of soldiers and civilians had been killed in Komanda–Eringeti.
“The facts are that an engagement occurred in Apakwang. In this encounter, we lost two of our soldiers. The area was previously a stronghold of ADF leader Musa Baluku, which our forces successfully dislodged,” said Maj Gen Kulayigye.
According to the UPDF, two ADF fighters were killed during the exchange, and three guns were recovered. Joint UPDF–FARDC (Armed Forces of the DRC) units are continuing pursuit operations targeting a splinter group of 15–20 rebels reportedly operating near Oicha.
Graphic images and videos allegedly from the ambush scene have circulated online since Wednesday, showing bodies in fatigues and what appear to be casualty evacuations onto a Ugandan military helicopter. However, the authenticity and exact location of the footage could not be independently verified.
Maj Gen Kulayigye emphasized that while combat injuries were sustained, claims of mass casualties were untrue.
“The enemy, under sustained pressure from joint operations, has resorted to reprisals in isolated locations to intimidate residents and gain publicity,” he said.
The ADF, originally a Ugandan Islamist rebel group formed in the 1990s, has since entrenched itself in eastern DRC, financing its operations through illicit mineral trade. The group has been linked to numerous massacres in Ituri and North Kivu, as well as the 2021 bombings in Kampala that killed at least seven people.
Ugandan forces entered the DRC in late 2021 under Operation Shujaa, a joint military campaign with FARDC aimed at dismantling the ADF’s infrastructure and leadership. The offensive has led to the capture and destruction of several ADF camps and has allowed thousands of displaced Congolese civilians to return home under army protection.
Despite these gains, the group continues to mount sporadic ambushes and reprisal attacks.
A recent UN report revealed that the ADF, while weakened on the battlefield, has acquired advanced surveillance and attack technologies—including drones—allegedly supplied with support from the Islamic State (Da’esh). Ugandan officials have downplayed the report but acknowledged the rebels’ growing tactical adaptability.
In response, the UPDF reaffirmed its commitment to joint operations with FARDC.
“The UPDF, working jointly with the FARDC, remains committed to protecting civilians, dismantling ADF terrorist networks, and ensuring lasting peace and stability in eastern DRC,” read the army’s statement.
President Yoweri Museveni has previously noted that Operation Shujaa has made significant progress, enabling the safe return of Congolese families to formerly war-torn areas.
