Ugandan and Congolese forces rescue over 200 from ADF camp in eastern DRC

Military operation freed civilians held by Islamic State-linked group along River Epulu.

Ugandan and Congolese soldiers rescued at least 200 civilians during a raid on an Allied Democratic Forces camp in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week, Uganda's military said on Monday.¹²³

The operation targeted a camp along the River Epulu under the control of an ADF commander identified as Ssebagala, also known as Mzee Mayor, according to the Ugandan People's Defense Forces.¹ Several ADF fighters were killed and weapons were seized during the raid, the military said.¹⁴

The rescued civilians included a 14-year-old girl, the youngest among those freed.¹⁴ Many captives described harsh conditions including lack of food, forced labour, and punishment for disobedience, the military statement said.²³ Several appeared frail and were suffering from untreated illnesses such as malaria, respiratory infections, and physical exhaustion, authorities said.²³

Major General Stephen Mugerwa, the Overall Joint Commander of Operation Shujaa, told the rescued civilians they were not under detention and were victims of abduction.¹² The military said it would ensure they were handed over to relevant authorities to reunite with their families.²

The raid was part of Operation Shujaa, a joint military effort between the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo that has intensified since January this year, the military said.¹ It was not clear when or where the rescued civilians were originally abducted.²

The ADF was originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s by people disgruntled with the government's treatment of Muslims.² After being routed by the Ugandan army, the group fled across the border into DRC.²³ The ADF pledged allegiance to the Islamic State a decade ago.¹³

Uganda and DR Congo launched a joint offensive in 2021 to drive the ADF out of their Congolese strongholds, but it has so far failed to put an end to the group's attacks.²