The Ugandan and Congolese armies operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) terrorists have met to review progress made to date and to lay the next strategies. 

This was at Luna in the Ituri Province, the tactical headquarters of the offensive code-named Operation Shujaa, chaired by the Commander Land Forces, Lieutenant General Kayanja Muhanga, who met with senior commanders of Operation Shujaa in the DR Congo on March 22, 2024. 

The meeting was attended by commanders, principal staff officers and heads of departments of the Operation. 

In a March 23, 2024, statement, Maj. Bilal Katamba, the UPDF Mountain Division public information officer and Operation Shujaa spokesperson, said the joint meeting was “to discuss matters regarding the operation.” 

Maj. Katamba said the two forces “discussed the progress of the Operation, successes, challenges and way forward.” 

Lt Gen. Kayanja Muhanga was received by the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces' overall commander of the operation, Maj. Gen. Dick Olum at the operation tactical headquarters in Luna. 

“The meeting will inform the strategic leadership of matters to discuss in the periodic joint review meeting between the UPDF and the Armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) which normally involves the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of General Staff of the respective Forces,” explained Katamba. 

Operation scope 

The joint operation against the ADF began in November 2021 in the Semliki sector of Busunga, Nobili, Kamango, and Mukakati, and saw the destruction of ADF strong hold camps of Kambi Ya Mbuzi, and Kambi Ya Yua. 

The UPDF and FARDC opened up Sector Four of the operation in December 2023 to pursue the remnants of the ADF that ran west of the Beni-Komanda road having been hit hard in Mwalika Valley under Sector Three. 

The opening up of Sector Four, which comprises the Elengeti-Kamanda-Mambasa triangle, saw the opening to traffic on the Elengeti-Kamanda road that had been impassable due to insecurity caused by ADF activities. 

The hunt 

The ADF is an affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group under the command of Musa Baluku. 

The hunt by the joint forces for Baluku and his senior commanders like Luminsa, Amigo, and Abu Waqas continues in the jungles of the Eastern DRC.

In a recent address to the nation recently, President Yoweri Museveni the commander-in-chief of Uganda’s armed forces, revealed that since the start of Operation Shujaa the UPDF and FARDC had so far killed 567 ADF rebels allied with Islamic State militants in the DRC. 

The President added that fifty terrorists had been captured alive, and 32 surrendered while scores of captives were also rescued.