President Yoweri Museveni has held a meeting with top army officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

“I held a meeting this morning with army generals from the DRC led by the FARDC Chief of General Staff, Gen Célestin Mbala Munsense and their Ugandan counterparts led by Gen.Wilson Mbadi. We discussed issues pertaining to the security of both our countries,” Museveni said on Saturday. 

Uganda and DRC are in a joint operation to create peace in Eastern DRC and promote development. The presence of ADF and other rebel groups have been a hindrance to peace and development in the DRC and the region.  

On 16 November 2021, three suicide bombers linked to ADF detonated their vests in Kampala, near Parliament and one near police headquarters. At least four people were killed and 37 wounded in the blasts. On 30 November 2021, the Uganda and DRC armies launched joint air and artillery strikes against ADF camps 

The bombings were also claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS), to whom ADF pledged allegiance in 2019. In preceding weeks, IS had claimed responsibility for attacks against a pork restaurant and police station too. 

The collaboration between the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) was later formalised in a defence and security agreement on 9 December. The joint military operation was named Operation Shujaa. 

In March 2022, Museveni called Operation Shujaa a “total success” and said the UPDF had  “demolished the terrorists”.