Ugandan Military Rescues Over 200 Civilians From IS-Linked Group in DR Congo Camp
Over 200 civilians, held captive by the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, have been rescued during a joint military operation. Soldiers from Uganda, collaborating with their Congolese counterparts, targeted an ADF-controlled camp, liberating individuals as young as 14, according to a Ugandan military statement.
Harsh Conditions and Continued Threat
Those rescued described harsh conditions in captivity, including lack of food, forced labour and punishment for disobedience.
Many appeared frail, suffering from malaria, breathing difficulties, and exhaustion. Major General Stephen Mugerwa, who leads the combined Uganda-Congolese mission, assured the freed individuals they were victims of abduction
and would be reunited with their families.
The ADF, originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s, has operated from within DR Congo for two decades. Its leader, Musa Seka Baluku, reportedly pledged allegiance to IS in 2016. Despite a joint offensive launched in 2021 by Uganda and DR Congo to dislodge the group from its strongholds, ADF attacks persist. The group has been implicated in suicide bombings in Uganda's capital, Kampala, in 2021, and school attacks in western Uganda in 2023. In eastern DR Congo, the ADF is notorious for kidnappings and killings; a recent study indicated it was responsible for over half of civilian deaths in the conflict-affected region.
Amnesty International reported at the end of last year on the alarming frequency
of ADF killings and abductions, noting that women and girls were used as sexual slaves. Former hostages recounted agonising spells – sometimes months and years – spent in captivity, practically starved and forced to do various tasks in ADF camps.
During the camp assault, several ADF fighters were killed, and a cache of weapons was recovered. The statement did not detail any casualties among the Ugandan or Congolese military personnel.