UPDF jets bomb ADF camps in DRC again
UPDF fighter jets have once again carried out another assault on the hideouts for Allied Democratic Forces inside the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Museveni said in a statement on Thursday that the assault was done on Wedneday.
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“Our fighter- bombers paid another visit to the terrorists, quite some distance inside Congo, in the Mambasa territory area. They attacked 3 targets, 180kms, 184kms and 200kms, respectively, from the border on the Ntoroko side,” Museveni said.
He however didn’t give details of the attack but applauded the UPDAF, the Special Duties Regiment and the UPDF for the good job in dealing with the ADF inside DRC as part of Operation Shuja jointly with the Congolese army.
“They(ADF) have been inviting us to pay attention to them by killing Ugandans and we are now responding to the invitation. The attacks are invariably precise, and we shall find out, after some time, who and how many terrorists died. It is futile and very dangerous to the individuals involved, to think that they can kill Ugandans and be safe themselves,” Museveni said.
Last month, the Ugandan army bombed new ADF camps where it is suspected that the second in command of the group, Meddie Nkalubo was killed.
The assault targeted camps especially in the western part of the Luna-Komanda road, particularly in the chiefdoms of Babila Bakwanza and Babila Babombi, in Mambasa territory.
This general area is where the ADF run to after coming under fire from the joint UPDF and Congolese army operation in DRC.
President Museveni recently said because of the heavy fire against ADF , the group has now extended further to as far as Mambasa but noted Uganda has mooted a plan to DRC government to have them completely wiped out and areas secured.
He said operation Shuja has combed sector one and two which are areas directly West and North West of Mountain Rwenzori where the ADF used to hide and launch attacks, prompting them to run further.
“We have the capacity to destroy them [ADF rebels] even from long distance. So if the DR Congo government allows us, we can finish them. We have shared with the Congo government our concepts which include the mobile forces, zonal forces and the LDUs, etc,” Museveni said.
Designated as a terrorist group by the US government, ADF has used the name Madina at Tauheed Wau Mujahedeen (City of Monotheism and Holy Warriors—MTM) to refer to emphasize its links to the Islamic State.
In 2019, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an ADF attack and first referenced a “Central Africa Province.”
The Islamic State group has in the past claimed that ADF is its Central African offshoot.
The ADF has since been specifically named as Islamic State in DRC to move away from being referred to as the Central Africa Province of ISIS/ ISIL.
The Bridgeway Foundation, a US charity organization recently indicated that Operation Shuja has dealt a heavy blow on ADF inside DRC.
For example, the organization noted that over 358 members of ADF who have left the group due to the pressure from the Ugandan army.
Recently, the UPDF displayed a cache of weapons and ammunition which was seized from the Allied Democratic Forces(ADF) rebel and extremist group in the Democratic Republic of Congo( DRC).
