Ugandan and Congolese forces say they freed more than 200 civilians during a raid on an Islamist camp in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) reported.
The operation struck an Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) encampment along the Epulu River as part of the joint Operation Shujaa, conducted by the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). The ADF, a group that originated in Uganda and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State about a decade ago, has been the primary target of the cross-border campaign, which the military says has stepped up since January.
Commanders identified the site as being controlled by a notorious ADF leader known as Ssebagala, or “Mzee Mayor.” Officials said several ADF fighters were killed in the assault and that weapons and explosives were seized. More than 200 people held captive at the camp were recovered; the youngest rescued was a 14-year-old girl.
Major General Stephen Mugerwa, the overall joint commander of Operation Shujaa, told the liberated captives they were not being detained but treated as victims of abduction and would be handed to appropriate authorities for reunification with their families.
Testimonies gathered by the military depicted harsh conditions inside the camp: extremely limited food, forced labor, corporal punishments for disobedience, untreated illnesses such as malaria and respiratory infections, and severe exhaustion. Several of the freed people appeared frail when rescued.
The offensive also targeted additional ADF positions along the Ituri River. UPDF officials said recent advances have encouraged more captives to flee and approach joint-force locations including Lolwa, Kyndala Kundala and Babungwe.
Uganda and DRC forces have intensified operations against the ADF in recent months. That push has coincided with a relative easing of tensions further south around M23 rebels and a fragile ceasefire this year. Authorities say the sustained campaign has begun to restore security in parts of eastern DRC: some displaced families are returning home, schools have reopened and cross-border trade with Uganda is resuming.
Operation Shujaa was launched in November 2021 after a series of ADF attacks on both sides of the Uganda–DRC border. The ADF is designated a terrorist organization by the Ugandan and Congolese governments and the United States and is subject to UN sanctions. The group began openly aligning with the Islamic State around 2016, with IS central media formally claiming ADF attacks from 2019.
Edited by: Rana Taha