Fighting resumes in DR Congo as UPDF kills 242 CODECO militants

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The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) on Friday, March 21, announced a successful operation where they repelled an attack by Cooperative for Development of the Congo (CODECO) militias in Fataki, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to a statement issued by Col Chris Magezi, the acting UPDF spokesman, the heavily armed militias launched a two-day assault on a UPDF Battle Group stationed in the region, aiming to dislodge the force.

The attacks, which took place on March 18 and 19, 2025, were repelled with significant losses for the CODECO group. On Wednesday, 31 militants were killed in action, and on Thursday morning, an additional 211 were neutralized. The UPDF lost one soldier, with four others injured. The injured soldiers were evacuated to Uganda for medical treatment, and all are expected to recover.

Independent sources from the Ituri region have reported that clashes resumed on Saturday morning, March 22, between the UPDF and the CODECO militia in the village of Bethlehem, in the Fataki region, north of Bunia, in the Djugu territory, in Ituri.

"This resurgence of fighting comes after two days of calm. Explosions of heavy and light weapons were heard since early Saturday morning in the Fataki and Djaiba regions, approximately 80 kilometres from Bunia.

Local sources indicate that the troops remaining in Bethlehem were surprised by gunfire from CODECO militiamen after a local youth was attacked by unidentified armed bandits on the Arr-Budhu section of the road at night," according to an independent report by UN sources. 

The latest report also stated that local civilians also cited scenes of vehicle looting on the RN 27 by militiamen, which led to a temporary interruption of traffic on this road, specifically on the Gbakalu-Libi axis.

A high concentration of people is observed in Djaiba and around the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) military base," according to the UN.

The UPDF has been stationed in the region for several weeks to prevent the infiltration of ADF remnants, who are under pressure from joint UPDF and FARDC forces conducting Operation Shujaa. According to Magezi, CODECO militias, who recently formed an alliance with the ADF, have intensified violent attacks in Ituri Province, particularly targeting the Hema ethnic group. The CODECO’s brutal attacks have led to numerous massacres, with hundreds of Hema civilians, mainly women and children, killed, and entire villages burned, looted, and destroyed.

The Army spokesman adds that the UPDF's presence in Fataki, along with deployments in nearby towns such as Bunia and Mahagi, has been a welcomed relief for local communities, who have long suffered under the violent actions of Lendu and allied militias. The presence of the UPDF in northern Ituri is also crucial in curbing the growing refugee crisis, as hundreds of civilians have crossed into Uganda seeking safety from the escalating violence.

In February 2025, UPDF deployed more than 1,000 additional soldiers in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Felix Kulayigye, Uganda’s military spokesman at the time confirmed the deployment, stating at that time: “We have deployed our troops in Bunia. Massacres were being committed by some militia groups, and we agreed with our Congolese counterparts to carry out joint operations to save lives.” 

Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, is already home to thousands of Ugandan troops working alongside DRC forces to combat the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group linked to the Islamic State.